Give me a chance
by Koharu-chan
Summary: Rei is not contented with his relationship with Aya for it was becoming a routine and there was something missing...love. Could Ran possibly fill in that missing spot? a ReiXRan fic. Chapter 3 revised
1. Of Routines, High Heels, and Evil Plans

**Author's note: **Okay people out there! I've uploaded this edited version because the original one sucks badly! Admit it, I am such a loser. Ahem, anyways, please enjoy this. I've added details, so I think this will be longer than the original one… Think of them as 17 year olds? Have fun reading, ReiXRan and ReiXAya lovers!

**Disclaimer: **If Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran was mine I would've made Rei and Ran a couple, therefore thoroughly disappointing ReiXAya fans out there…

**Notice: **In this fanfic I made Ran and Rei schoolmates. Therefore…um…let's just get on with the story, okay? Also, this is mixed ReiXRan and ReiXAya because I don't want to make both girls such a (sorry for the word) _bitch_ and so 'helpless'. Have fun!

(**Warning:** foul language, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, and others are present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and maybe watching GALS! again isn't necessary.** **And the story plot is mine, okay?**_ Hehehe!

* * *

**Give Me a Chance, Chapter 1: Watching You**

* * *

_Tak, tak, tak…_

"…that was so funny! The way that man acted so stupid… It's hilarious!" exclaimed the certain beautiful black-haired girl walking beside a handsome young man.

_Tak, tak, tak…_

Otohata Rei smiled at his companion—no, his girlfriend. She always seems to light his heart up and make him smile a _little_. But there was something missing. He couldn't find it. He would still feel shy around this young woman named Aya, but then, at times, he couldn't resist that sweet smile that makes him feel very special.

_But…_

"Well, we're here already…" Aya whispered, pointing out her small house. Rei had been inside once after school when the people around the house were gone. They had been in the living room, and if Rei didn't realize what he was doing (and not mentioning controlling his hormones), he probably would have a baby already with Aya.

The stoic boy nodded. He watched as Aya opened the gate leading to the entrance of the house. He waited until Aya was inside the yard and he waited for her to say something.

Aya shook her head but smiled. She leaned in and placed a shy kiss on Rei's right cheek.

It had always been a routine. Whenever they would date somewhere, they would talk about it until Aya gets home, and then she would give him a kiss and goodbye. Nothing could change that.

"Thanks for everything, Rei. I guess I'll see you on Monday?" Aya asked.

Rei nodded, not saying anything.

Aya giggled at how cute Rei looked and waved back at him before she turned around to reach for the doorknob.

Rei waited until Aya went inside the house and then he turned around with a shrug. Something was bugging him, but he couldn't place his finger on it.

"Hey."

Rei stopped walking when he felt a sharp and pointy object placed on his back. He looked back and saw a bad-looking man who looked like the typical robber. He looked forward and opened his mouth. "I don't have anything."

"Don't lie to me, kid. I've seen you in magazines and I know you are a model. And models have 'nice' pay, right?" the man said.

Rei snorted. He was already thinking about how to get away with this man threatening him. If only he could just—

"Ow!" the man shouted.

Rei turned around and saw the man wincing in pain and he looked at the 4-inch high heel sandal for the left foot. He smiled secretly.

_Aha. I know who owns this thing…_

"That's for you, idiot!" a very loud voice exclaimed.

Rei used up all his will power not to smile widely when he heard that very familiar annoying voice. He looked up and saw the girl that was too busy glaring at the robber.

_Kotobuki Ran._

The man looked up. "Kotobuki!" he squealed like a girl—it was surprising enough that he was glad that he saw the immortal Kotobuki Ran.

Rei was about to say an insult to Ran but she jumped from the hindrance she was standing on and she landed on the back of the man who winced loudly because of the pain.

_Why is she here?_

Ran put her right knee between the shoulder blades and near the nape and she grasped the wrists of the man. "What is your purpose, huh?"

"He's going to rob me." Rei interrupted.

Ran looked at him then averted her eyes back on the man. "Why would you rob this helpless boy? He's helpless, you idiot!" she exclaimed.

"I'm not helpless and I'm not a boy anymore." Rei whispered.

Ran looked at him again with an annoying expression and sighed loudly for Rei to hear. She let go of the wrists and got off the man's back. She helped him stand up, but she kicked him on his butt. "Don't rob again, mister! If I ever see you again doing that, you know what will happen if it concerns Detective Kotobuki Ran!" she exclaimed.

The man ran away fast while crying, "Mommy!"

Silence fell between the two individuals.

"You didn't have to be so violent, Kotobuki." Rei said while he picked up the high-heeled sandal of Ran.

"Hey, hey, hey! I saved you, Otohata!" Ran reminded, snatching her sandal and putting it on quickly. "If I didn't come, you'll just be like a cockroach that has been stepped on!"

"You're the cockroach."

"I didn't say you _are _a cockroach. But then, maybe you could pass." Ran said and smiled at him. "Besides, I won't let anybody hurt you."

Rei was lucky he resisted the widening of his eyes. He quickly hid the surprise.

"You are Aya's boyfriend, her most treasured, actually. And since she's one of my best friends, I can't let her be sad…" Ran said slowly, and looked up at the bright full moon.

Rei didn't want to say something tactless. He just looked at the moon Ran was staring at and unconsciously stared at the moonlight beauty beside him. He couldn't resist staring and watching as Ran's eyelashes fluttered, her lips slightly pinkish and shiny because of the light, her skin looking so soft, and her eyes — they were probably the most beautiful part of her.

"I feel…jealous." came a strangled whisper.

Rei quickly looked up at the moon. "Nn."

What was she trying to say?

Ran stole a glance at Rei and she scratched at her nape in a boyish way.

"It's the first time I felt this feeling." Ran murmured and looked up at Rei. "When I see you two together, I..." she paused.

Rei waited.

"Forget about it!" Ran exclaimed, laughing rather nervously. "Just remember, take care of yourself for Aya, Otohata!" she said as she ran away from Rei.

Rei watched as the shadow retreated from afar. It made him curious on what Ran was thinking about earlier.

* * *

_Couldn't sleep…_

It was already 3 o' clock in the morning. But still, the brunet hasn't slept. He was still bothered on how Ran got there, when Aya told him that Ran was over at Miyu's and was going to sleep over because of a certain project.

Perhaps Ran was _really _good at sensing things? Maybe.

Rei groaned and sat up on his bed. He rested his arms on his knees, and stared at the picture of himself beside Ran, Aya beside him and Miyu, Yuuya beside Ran that was too busy putting her 'V' hand on top of Rei, making him a devil or something. His eyes stayed on Ran's face.

_Is it wrong to have a crush on someone else when you already have a girlfriend?_

That bright smile and beautiful eyes really reflect her personality. She was probably a little obnoxious for a girl, and she irritated the hell out of him—so why would he care? He's always pissed on very actions the girl made—why would he _think_ something like _that_?

Why does he even waste the time responding and minding all of Ran's tricks?

Rei grunted softly and fell back on his bed and tried to sleep. When sleep was going to overcome him, he didn't realize that he uttered a name that he would probably cherish and _love_ forever even though he didn't want to.

"_Ran_…"

Maybe.

* * *

"No."

"Oh, come on, Rei. Please!"

"I said no." Rei said emotionlessly while he cooked some bacon.

"Why are you so stubborn? It's only lunch. Lunch!"

"No."

"You're really a fucked-up friend, Rei." Yuuya whispered.

"Yeah. I am." Rei retorted at the phone, annoyed. He was restless, and Yuuya even called at 6:00 in the morning! "Listen Yuuya, I'm not in the mood meeting Ran and Tatsuki. And I want to have my lunch here."

"But Ran has something to tell me! And she wants you to come, too." Yuuya reasoned.

"Can't she just tell you over the phone? And why would she want me to come?" Rei asked, suddenly interested. He almost forgot the smoking bacon.

"I don't know, man! You really have to come and accompany me. Don't worry; I'll treat you to the arcade."

"Not interested."

"Ice cream?"

"No."

"Burger King?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Pizza Hut?"

"Nope."

"Ichiraku Ramen?"

"No—that's not even a real restaurant. You are really reading too much shonen manga. You might turn gay."

"Noooo, man! I like girls—just like Ran! Anyway, what would I do to get you to accompany me?" Yuuya asked desperately.

Rei leaned back on the refrigerator. He looked up at the ceiling of the kitchen and thought about some things. "Did you mention Tatsuki will be there too?"

"Yeah."

"Well then," Rei whispered, and slight smirk on his face. "You have to pay attention on what I'm going to tell you okay?"

"Sure man, just no bullshit."

"Heh. Sure." Rei said and looked at the mirror beside him. He almost wanted to punch his reflection because of the annoying smirk on his face that is rarely seen by people.

And so life—

"I SAID NO BULLSHIT!"

And so life goes on… I think.

* * *

**To be continued...**

* * *

**Author's notes: **Oh, a cliffhanger at the end of the first chapter! What is Rei thinking? I'll edit the others maybe later? Hehehe. Please review!


	2. Of Chocolates, Confessions, and Friends

**Author's note: **Okay peeps, here's the 2nd chapter of the edited version of this story. I made it a little longer than the original…and I hope this is okay for all of you! Tell me if this is better than the original one… Have fun reading, you ReiXRan freaks! Hehehe…

**Disclaimer: **If Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran was mine I would've made Rei like Uchiha Sasuke in Naruto and Ran as Uzumaki Naruto! Ha!

(**Warning:** foul language, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, and others are present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and maybe watching GALS! again isn't necessary.** **And the story plot is mine, okay?**_ Hehehe!

* * *

**Previously…**

* * *

_Rei leaned back on the refrigerator. He looked up at the ceiling of the kitchen and thought about some things. "Did you mention Tatsuki will be there too?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Well then," Rei whispered, and slight smirk on his face. "You have to pay attention on what I'm going to tell you okay?"_

"_Sure man, just no bullshit."_

"_Heh. Sure." Rei said and looked at the mirror beside him. He almost wanted to punch his reflection because of the annoying smirk on his face that is rarely seen by people._

"_I SAID NO BULLSHIT!"_

* * *

**Give Me a Chance, Chapter 2: Understand Me**

* * *

The sun shone brightly across the land of Shibuya. The birds chirped everywhere, singing to the queen of Shibuya who had just woken up.

"_Damn."_

Yup, Ran was not a morning person, really. In fact, she hated mornings—only what she would do in that day encourages her to be happy. But if there was nothing to do, she would sleep the whole day. Being the queen and the protector of Shibuya can be quite tiring too, ne?

Ran sat up on her bed and scratched her eyes with her arms as she yawned. She looked around her room while scratching her head, and she sighed when she saw the clock. It was already 10:00 am—she overslept.

The wild girl stood up and fixed her bed. She was an orderly person and her head aches whenever she sees something that is not in order. She went to the bathroom to wash her face, and after that she went downstairs to eat breakfast.

"_Ohayou_."

Ran looked up and blinked. She only saw Yamato who was like their dad reading the newspaper while eating breakfast at the same time. She did not see her noisy younger sister 1, her busy dad and her loving mother. She wondered where they all had gone to, for every time she wakes up they are all present around the dining room.

"Where are they?" Ran asked her brother, the boyfriend of her best friend Miyu.

"Oh. Dad took mom to a trip in Hokkaido. They left early in the morning. And the other one…she has a field trip to the mountains for 3 days and two nights." Yamato explained.

"Oh…" Ran whispered and settled herself on the chair. She was used to her parents' sudden trips. They were workaholic, and they needed some time to relax once in a while.

"Why are you still here? You have a job, right?" Ran asked.

"I'm waiting for you to wake up." Yamato said, reaching for his cup.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" the persistent girl asked, filling her cup with some water.

"You were sleeping deeply, and you had such a peaceful expression on your face. It will be unfair for you if I destroy that calm feeling of yours while you sleep." Yamato whispered. "Everybody needs to be relaxed." He added as an afterthought.

Ran stared at her brother and smiled sweetly that was too girlish. "Thank you." She whispered. She meant it with all her heart, for her brother understood that she is stressed everyday.

"No problemo."

The bleached-blond girl eyed the toasted bread and she reached it with a sigh. "So I guess this house will be empty for a while."

Yamato looked at her as he drank some hot chocolate instead of his father's usual drink, dark coffee.

"I mean, you will go to work, and I will have a meeting at 12 o' clock." Ran said while spreading some strawberry jam on the toasted bread. She ate the whole bread and quickly swallowed it, nearly choking herself. She pounded her chest gently with her fist until the food went down to her stomach.

"A meeting?" Yamato asked, confused. Since when Ran attended meetings?

"Yeah." Ran said and drank some water. "I want to have a really great birthday party for Aya! And the guys will help me set some things up."

"What about Miyu?"

"Oh, we'll go shopping as usual for some clothes or some things, but this time for Aya. And don't tell a soul about our plan—we'll surprise her." Ran said and giggled.

"Why would you hold a party for her? Before you were just celebrating it in her house or some restaurant, right?" her brother asked.

"Well… Aya mentioned that after her birthday she might go to London or somewhere for a month because she will meet her agent to publish her novels. Even for a month, we'll surely miss her so much… So, all I could do is that at least we could get together before she takes off, right?" Ran paused to hear Yamato's response. There was none. "Right." She added.

"Hmm…" Yamato hummed.

Ran drank some more water before standing up to put the plates in the sink. "Oh, could you wash the plates for me? I should go early, anyway." Ran said and looked at the wall clock. It was 10:45 am already.

_Whoa. That was fast._

"Sure. Oh, wait a minute." Yamato said, standing up too.

"What is it?" Ran asked as she turned around.

"I thought you were going to sleep over at Miyu's. Why are you here, exactly?" he asked.

Ran blinked and looked at the ceiling. "Um, the project was finished early, so I don't need to sleep over." She said.

"That's good." Yamato said while nodding. "What did you do after? I think you went home quite late, huh?"

Ran's eyes widened slightly and she turned around quickly to hide the faint blush gracing her cheeks. Too bad for her, Yamato noticed it, and he seemed to understand what it meant.

"Oh…that. I got some time free and so I went window shopping for a while. After that, I sensed some danger on the way back home. It turns out that an ugly-looking man was trying to rob a _helpless, idiotic boy_." Ran said, laughing nervously. She hoped that her brother wouldn't ask who the 'helpless and idiotic boy' is.

Yamato nodded. He didn't need to ask who it was, for he could _sense_ it already. But then, he might be wrong.

"Well, got to go and dress up!" Ran said, suddenly feeling all giddy and hyper. She ran towards the staircase, nearly tripping.

Yamato watched his silly sister. He admired her on how her personality changes at home and outside. She was really a homebody type of person—not the type that the people of Shibuya think of her. She would make a perfect wife, even if she didn't look like it. He's sometimes angered on how boys would treat her, because all they want was to have Ran as a _trophy girlfriend_.

"I hope…Ran finds the man for her—someone who will disregard her popularity, and love her for what she truly is." Yamato whispered to himself. He was surprised when a person suddenly popped in his mind, a person so stoic, so painfully cold, but then so similar and so close to Ran without him and her knowing.

_Is it true, Miyu?_

* * *

It was already 12:30 pm and the kougal still wasn't there at the meeting place.

"Where's Ran? I hope she didn't encounter an accident or something!" Yuuya exclaimed as he looked around in the small diner.

"She's always late—so don't worry." Rei whispered as calmly as he could, although he was _quite_ worried when the thoughts about Ran getting into an accident or something started to flood his mind.

_Why would I care?_ He repeated to himself.

"Hey guys!" a loud and familiar voice suddenly was heard.

Yuuya and Rei looked at the entrance of the diner to find Ran waving at them enthusiastically. She quickly walked up to the two boys and smiled at them.

Rei shook his head while Yuuya was suddenly bursting with energy as he saw Ran smiling at him widely. "Ran!" Yuuya exclaimed with so much excitement.

"Hey Yuuya!" Ran exclaimed. She turned to Rei who was looking at her emotionlessly. "Hey, Otohata." She whispered, her voice slightly soft.

Rei just nodded and seated himself on the soft cushion. Something stung inside him when Ran mentioned Rei's surname, while she said Yuuya's name. He tried to shrug it off.

_You call her Kotobuki. That's why she calls you that._

"Did you wait long?" Ran asked as she too sat on the soft cushion.

"No, not at all!" Yuuya exclaimed, his blush being noticeable.

After ordering food, Yuuya and Ran settled in a noisy and senseless conversation. Rei was left out, but he was perfectly okay with it because he was not in the mood to join in their useless chatter. Also, it gave him the time to watch the two.

He couldn't help but stare at the ebullient girl before him, totally different from the Ran he encountered last night. She looked troubled that night, and what was she trying to say?

Shortly after, his thoughts were interrupted when the waitress put their orders on the table. The two indulged in their food, but Rei just stared at his. When the waitress was gone and when Yuuya and Ran resumed their conversation, Rei's thoughts about Ran came back to him.

Does Ran even know about the infatuation of Yuuya towards her? Does Yuuya know he wouldn't have a chance on Ran because they lack similar things? Does Ran like Tatsuki because of his stupidity and his limitless energy? Would he even have a chance on her?

Rei shook his head quickly. Why is he thinking _such_ things, when he was with Aya now? God, is he already cheating on her? Was it wrong to think about someone else other than your soon-to-be fiancée?

He needed to be alone. Now.

Ran and Yuuya were talking about bananas and how Tatsuki loved them, but then they were interrupted suddenly by the stoic boy.

"Where's Tatsuki? I thought he was with you." Rei said.

Ran's eyes widened slightly before she averted her eyes at her _ketai _(cellphone). "He said he would be late or he would be not coming at all. He's practicing in his dance studio, for he is readying himself for some dance contest. He'll call me when he has the time." She explained.

"Well, that's great! No one would be annoying then, huh, Ran?" Yuuya exclaimed.

"Uh, yeah! I guess!" Ran exclaimed too, unconsciously wanting Tatsuki not to come at all. She was taken by surprise when Rei suddenly stood up.

"I'm going to take a walk. I'll leave you guys there." Rei whispered and walked towards the door.

"Don't forget to take care of yourself from your freaky fan girls, Rei!" Ran exclaimed, waving at him with a wide smile.

Rei looked at Ran and just smirked. "You take care of yourself because of your—"

"Don't start with me! I'm in a good mood!" Ran said and laughed loudly, making the people stare at her.

Rei just shrugged and went out of the diner. While he was walking, his heart pounded to his ears, and he almost lost his self-control there.

Ran had called him by his _name_. Did it mean anything?

Rei walked faster, his knees feeling weak and wobbly. He thanked God that he was able to use all his will power not to smile and blush in front of her because of her comment.

When he reached a secluded place that was far away from people passing by, Rei leaned on the wall, panting heavily as his hands curled upon his hair. He was sweating and he was _hot_, and he didn't know why. He sat on the ground slowly and deeply took in some air. He put his left hand on his chest, over his fast-pounding heart.

How did Ran get this reaction out of him?

What was wrong with him?

* * *

Ran and Yuuya went out of the diner 2 hours after Rei left. They talked about so many things, and didn't even take note of the time that was passing. Good thing that Ran had the chance to look at her watch.

A high-pitched and girlish voice said, "Thank you and please come back!" when they stepped out of the already crowded place.

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?" Yuuya asked as they strolled along the park with few people walking around.

"No, it's really okay, Yuuya! I need to buy this perfume and some clothes, and when you are with me while I'm doing this, you'll kill yourself because of boredom." Ran explained as they sat on a bench.

"I'm okay with it—as long as it's with you." Yuuya whispered, sitting next to Ran rather closely.

_Is this the perfect time to tell her?_

Ran was surprised slightly and she blinked. She smiled after some seconds and stared at the bay in front of them. "Thank you, but—"

"I like you."

Ran looked at Yuuya. She would've laughed at him because of his serious expression that didn't fit him, but this was not the time to laugh. Yuuya was completely serious.

"I know." Ran murmured, staring straight at Yuuya's eyes. She watched as they widened quickly, and she wondered what Yuuya thinking by now. Would he run away from her, like some boys do?

Yuuya swallowed and coughed meaningfully. He looked at Ran and he blushed harder when she smiled at him. That smile…was the one that made him like Ran so much. Not only that, it was Ran's personality that attracted him most. She was confident, caring, big-hearted, and she wasn't afraid saying to people what she wants to say to them.

"You…do..?" Yuuya choked.

Ran looked at the scenic place in front of them, still with a smile plastered on her face. "I thought at first that you are just overly friendly, and so I didn't ask you about it…" She said with such a soft voice that melted Yuuya's heart.

Yuuya waited.

"I had suspicions… You only confirmed it today." Ran finished.

"Oh…" Yuuya only managed to say.

Silence formed.

"I'm glad you told me." Ran said, looking at Yuuya again. "You are very brave…and it's rare for men to confess things like that. You could use it in the future, Yuuya!"

Yuuya swallowed his pride and closed his eyes for a moment to gather his courage once again. He opened them quickly. "Ran, could you go out with me?" he squeaked. He meant it to be louder, but he lacked oxygen for a moment.

Ran blinked. "I—" she paused. Should she give Yuuya a chance?

"Ran?" Yuuya called out.

"I—I'm sorry, Yuuya." Ran whispered, not having the courage to look at Yuuya.

Suddenly, the world came crashing down at Yuuya. He feared this. He feared Ran's rejection of all things. He had himself got ready for this kind of situation—but he didn't know it would hurt so much. Ran meant everything to him. She was the source of his strength, his inspiration, his everything. The thought of losing Ran was what he feared most.

_Why?_

This question flooded his mind, and he wondered who would be the one who could answer that.

Did Ran love somebody else that she rejected him? Who could be the one—who could be the lucky _asshole_ that captured Ran's heart?

He seemed lost for a moment but then he opened his mouth to say something.

"Is there somebody else involved?"

Ran's eyes widened, not expecting this kind of question. She was speechless, and she didn't know what to say. She was slightly frightened at the expression of Yuuya: dark and cold, so different from the Yuuya she knew.

"Who is he? I want to know…" Yuuya whispered, sighing. He couldn't bear the frightened look on Ran's face. He couldn't blame her. He was really hurt.

Ran bit her lower lip. Was this the time to tell him?

"Could I trust you not to tell anyone…and not to be angered by him?" she asked.

Yuuya managed to nod, although he knew that if he finds out who was the asshole, he would surely get mad at him.

Contented, Ran took in some air and opened her mouth as she felt the sweat trickling from her forehead down to her cheek.

"It's…"

Yuuya clenched his fists.

"…your best friend."

* * *

Rei massaged his temples with his fingers. His head hurt with all the blushing and pounding of his heart. That was very unlike of him.

_Do girls feel this too?_

He stopped in his tracks when he saw Yuuya and Ran seated on a bench in the park. They were too busy talking about something that they didn't notice him. He wondered what they were talking about, for Yuuya had this serious expression that was rare for him to see.

Rei's thoughts were interrupted when Yuuya suddenly stood up, his bangs covering his eyes. He was surprised when Yuuya suddenly ran away from Ran, causing her to call him out. But she didn't follow him like she used to do. He noticed that Ran was near in tears.

Ran didn't notice Rei walking towards her for she had hurt Yuuya. Why is it always like this?

"Hey."

Ran's eyes widened quickly and turned around quickly, recognizing the owner of the voice. She tried to hold back her tears by clenching her fists. She stared at Rei's calm look, and she shook her head to not let him notice her tears.

"What's wrong, idiot?" Rei said with a sigh, sitting on the bench. "And it has to have some sense on it, too."

Ran blinked as she wiped away her tears, smiling at Rei after that.

At that moment, Ran knew what she would do. Even if _he _does not return her feelings because there was someone else involved, she would still love him forever, even if the people abandoned her. If there was a chance, she would fight for him.

Yuuya's best friend, Rei, meant everything to her.

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Author's notes: **Well? Was it good? Hehehe… If you read this then read the next one (the original one), you will say, **"What's happening?" **Don't worry folks, I'll edit the next one and bring you a super ReiXRan fic!

Also, I need feedbacks from you guys. If I deserve some flames, please do make some, but if you flame me because I wrote a ReiXRan fic, you are such close-minded person. That is stupid. And no one wants to be stupid, right? Thank you!

Koharu-chan


	3. Of Honeymoons, Near Kisses, and Denial

**Author's note:** Hooray! Here's the 3rd revised chapter of this story! Sorry for the long wait—just been busy with my life and all. Nyahahaha (I adopted Sakuragi's laughter)! Tell me if this chapter is better than the previous one, because I want to satisfy your cravings for this wonderful pairing (ReiXRan)! Oh yeah, criticisms are welcomed in my story. But I hope your flames are about my writing and not about the pairing! Nyahahaha! Well, whoever you are, have fun reading!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran because Rei is too hot for this show (gets chased by fan girls). Plus, I would've made it ReiXRan all the way if I owned this wonderful show.

(**Warning:** foul language, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, and others are present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and maybe watching GALS! again isn't necessary.** **And the story plot is mine, okay?**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Previously….**

**

* * *

**

"_What's wrong, idiot?" Rei said with a sigh, sitting on the bench. "And it has to have some sense on it, too."_

_Ran blinked as she wiped away her tears, smiling at Rei after that._

_At that moment, Ran knew what she would do. Even if he does not return her feelings because there was someone else involved, she would still love him forever, even if the people abandoned her. If there was a chance, she would fight for him._

_Yuuya's best friend, Rei, meant everything to her._

_

* * *

_

**Give Me a Chance, Chapter 3: I want to be honest for once**

**

* * *

**

Ran shook her head slowly, indicating that nothing was wrong. She didn't want Rei to worry, because he had worries of his own. Plus, Aya would be involved if he knew her problem.

…and she's a terrible liar.

Rei clicked his tongue for a moment, getting annoyed with Ran's attitude. It was clearly shown on her face that something was wrong. He sighed in annoyance. "_Baka_."

Ran instantly flared up and she turned around to face Rei, waving her fist. "What did you say? No one calls me a—" She didn't finish what she was saying, for when she turned around she saw Rei smirking. She straightened up and raised her wonderfully shaved eyebrow. "…_what_?"

Rei chuckled for a moment. "You look so weird when you get angry. Your nostrils get big too." He commented.

Ran stomped her feet angrily. "What's that supposed to mean!" she exclaimed, grabbing Rei by the collar of his shirt.

"When you get angry or have a problem, you always look weird." Rei said, smirking further when he saw Ran grit her teeth. He looked at her straight in the eye. "Boys won't like you if your nostrils get big all the time."

This time Ran really fumed. She shook Rei vigorously, shouting at him that he was an idiot and a cold bastard all the way. The people passing around stopped walking to watch them, but when Ran glared at them, they walked away hurriedly as if they have seen a horrible monster.

Of course, Rei was only lying. He didn't mean all the things he said. He just wanted to get a reaction out of Ran.

"You would look good again if you tell me about your problem." Rei whispered, suddenly serious. "And as I've said a while ago, it has to have some sense in it."

Ran blinked and she slowly took her hands away from Rei's shirt. She forced herself to smile. "You're really a persistent person, are you?" she whispered, laughing lowly. She sat on the bench slowly and rested her hands on her knees. "No wonder Aya-chan gets annoyed at you." She muttered.

"You're lying." Rei said, chuckling once. He didn't say those things to Aya. Hey, he even rarely talks to her with those kinds of things.

Silence formed between the two.

"I always hurt somebody." Ran started, and this immediately caught Rei's attention and interest.

"When I was a baby, I kicked my father's face by accident. When I was a kid, I punched this bigger guy that tried to bully me. In my pre-teen, I tripped the teacher purposely because of a dare." Ran said, giggling because of the memories that flooded her mind.

Rei rolled his eyes to further annoy the bleached-blonde girl, but he was kind of surprised when Ran didn't even look at him. He also noticed that her laughter was turning bitter.

"In my teenage years," Ran paused for a moment. "I've hurt many people not physically, but emotionally. I always tend to hurt somebody if they get near, so…" she trailed off.

"…so?" Rei prompted.

"So…you deserve a punch!" Ran unexpectedly shouted, swinging her fist to punch Rei's face. But her fist was only 2 centimeters apart from the handsome shocked face.

Rei blinked confusedly. "What's wrong with you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing." Ran happily chirped. "Haha…I've been waiting for the time to tell this to somebody. You're the first one to know about the hurt I've done to so many people." She exclaimed, seeming to be proud of it.

Rei "hmph-ed" at this, because he knew what she was saying was connected with the scene he saw with her and Yuuya. Surely, Ran must have been hiding something from him. "Is that all?"

Ran stopped from all her musings and she looked at him confusedly. "What…do you mean?" she asked.

"Is that all what you want to say to me?"

"Yeah! Oh—maybe not all." Ran contemplated. She looked at Rei's icy and cold expression that girls and guys swoon over. She smiled. "How are things with Aya-chan?"

Rei looked at Ran for a moment before looking at the view of the river. "It's okay." He muttered, seemingly uninterested.

"Hmm…" Ran whispered, thinking of something to say. "Well, have you…um…" she hesitated to continue her question.

Rei stared at Ran with an irritated expression. "Say it." He demanded rather than requested.

"Um…did you two…**do it** already?" Ran asked slowly, blushing. She shouldn't be asking this kind of question really, but she was too curious and too tactless sometimes. She waited for Rei's answer excitedly.

Rei closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "**_Baka_**."

Ran instantly flared and fumed up at this. "What the—" She paused suddenly when she saw Rei smirk at her.

"You shouldn't be asking these things." Rei said with his smirk. "Why are you asking anyway?"

"N-nothing…!" Ran's eyes twitched with the tone of Rei's voice and his smirk was getting on her nerves. She clenched her fists to try and taunt Rei, but he suddenly chuckled.

"We didn't do it." Rei whispered, followed with short chuckles. "I'm not interested."

Ran's eyebrows twitched. "You…not interested...in…?" she trailed off. He was the first one who said that he wasn't interested in love-making! Is he not interested making love with girls? What if he's—gay? Ran smiled a little.

_You fan girls are going down._

"Besides," Rei suddenly said, interrupting Ran's trail of thoughts. "I don't want her to be pregnant. It's too troublesome." He looked at Ran, like he was reading her thoughts. "We're not ready. We're still young."

"What if Aya-chan asked for it?" Ran questioned further, super curious.

"I don't care. I just won't do it with her." Rei said, irritated. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at the couples in the park.

"You are so mean! This means a lot to us girls, you know?" Ran exclaimed, waving a fist in front of Rei. "You won't do it with her even if you're married?"

"Who's going to get married?" Rei sneered. He waited for a heated retort but then he looked at Ran when he didn't hear anything from her.

Ran blinked and suddenly sat down beside Rei, hooking her arm up with him. "You mean you don't plan getting married with her?" she exclaimed, her voice very loud that many people looked at them. Some even recognized the kougal.

"H-hey!" Rei choked, blushing madly. Ran's arm felt so warm, and it was the first time a girl did that to him. All Aya did was to let their hands touch and kiss. He didn't want anyone to get close to him anyway. But why is he letting this girl, this Kotobuki Ran who is his girlfriend's friend, hold him this way? Heck, he doesn't even let Aya hold his hand.

Rei tried to struggle and free his arm from Ran's grip, but he stopped when Ran was staring at him. He blushed harder.

A wide grin formed from Ran's glossed lips and she started pinching Rei's cheeks. "Oh, you blushed!" she guffawed. "You're so cute—not!"

Rei's eyes widened slightly. He didn't expect her to say those words because he expected an insult. He couldn't help but to keep quiet and blush more.

"Haha! You're blushing even harder! Is it because you're thinking about your honeymoon with Aya-chan?" Ran exclaimed, patting Rei's back hard. "You don't need to lie, Otohata!"

Rei didn't say anything and he frowned suddenly. Good thing Ran didn't notice this, for she was too busy babbling about Rei being such a shy coward and all.

_Don't forget to take care of yourself from your freaky fan girls, Rei!_

He was kind of disappointed when Ran called him by his surname again. He recalled his reaction earlier when Ran said his name so simply without any sarcasm or insult. It felt **_real_**. He felt that it was worth it to have such name as **Rei.** Oh well, he can force her to call him Rei, but that would be too mean.

…and just why would he want Ran to call him by his first name?

Ran, as if reading Rei's thoughts, looked at him strangely. "What's with the weird face, Otohata?" she exclaimed, punching Rei's sleeved forearm lightly.

Rei touched his forearm. "Is that all you've got? I didn't know you were weak." He whispered, smirking slightly. "…and to think that you are strong because of being a _kougal_…"

A hand suddenly reached for Rei's collar and held it tightly. Rei and Ran were face to face, but Ran didn't seem to mind it. "What did you say…?" she said through her gritted teeth, equally pissed.

Instead of throwing a heated retort, Rei looked at the bleached-blonde girl straight in the eyes. He also noticed that Ran didn't look away, and it seemed that she was challenging him about something he didn't know.

Ran smiled—or if you prefer, she smirked boyishly. She noticed that Rei's eyes were so beautiful, his eyelashes long and elegant. She laughed at herself. At this distance, she could do _something_ to him that they will regret later and ruin their lives. Her trail of thoughts was stopped when she saw at the corner of her eye that Rei's lips opened slightly to say something.

"What if I kiss you?"

Rei couldn't believe he had just said that. A powerful curiosity urged him to say so, and he didn't even notice he already had said it. He felt like he was being controlled, and he couldn't help but to follow-up on what he said. "…at this distance, I could lean a bit and could kiss you."

He observed Ran for a reaction. He saw a dangerous frown forming on her lips. He knew, at that very moment, that their lives would change.

"Don't play jokes with me, Otohata." Ran whispered seriously. Her grip on Rei's collar tightened further that he felt he was choking already. "A girl's feelings are not to be played with. With what you said, you already played your little game."

Rei's expression was blank, but he still listened.

"Excellent poker face. Would that be your facial expression if ever you and Aya broke up?" Ran asked in a whisper. She neared their faces once more, until their lips were just 1 inch apart. "Even if I had feelings for you, I'll kill you if you try to cheat on one of my best friends."

Ran released her grip from Rei's shirt, and he sat back panting slowly. He touched his sore neck and closed his eyes. He suddenly smirked, despite what Ran had just said to him. "What…"

She looked at him quickly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rei whispered, laughing bitterly. "…so you're saying that if you are with somebody but you don't love him, you would still stay with him?"

Ran's eyes widened. She stared at him for a long time before she said something. "I would!" she exclaimed, turning away. She knew that if she didn't give this up, Rei would ask very hard questions that she couldn't possibly answer intelligently.

_You should've studied more, _ahou

"Nn."

Ran looked at Rei again, and he she saw that he already stood up. She blinked when Rei looked at the sky suddenly, and it urged her to do the same. "I didn't know it was night already." she commented absently.

"That's because you're an idiot." It was the automatic response of Rei to Ran. And the automatic response of Ran was getting angry then—you know what will happen. It always happened whenever they were inside each other's territory. They don't even know why.

"Oh yeah!" Ran exclaimed with excitement after venting out her anger with Rei on a random person. "What gift will you buy for Aya? I still don't know what to buy, because I don't know what she'll like."

Rei just shrugged, not really interested.

Ran raised her eyebrows for a moment, but she got back on babbling. "As we discussed, we're going to throw a really big party for Aya! Make sure you don't tell her a thing about this. Oh, I don't need to remind you that. You don't say anything whenever you're around her. I didn't know you were that shy." she whispered teasingly, giggling. She even nudged Rei with her elbow.

"…"

"You know," Ran said, puffing her cheeks. She put her hands on her hips.

_Uh-oh._ Rei thought.

"You are **_so _**boring. I don't know why Aya likes you a lot. If I have a boyfriend, he'll definitely be a funny and talkative man!" she guffawed.

Rei kept quiet for a moment. "What happened between you and Tatsuki?" he asked out-of-the-blue suddenly.

Ran just smiled. "It didn't work out. We had a lot of things in common and we agreed on many things—but it just didn't work out. It seemed that we were too much the same, and it didn't give us a chance to get to know more about ourselves. We even both agreed in calling our relationship off." she explained. "I guess…it wasn't meant to be." she added.

"…"

"But hey," Ran exclaimed, patting Rei's back rather hard. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure everything will work out with you and Aya." she assured.

"Maybe." Rei murmured. "We better go home. It's getting rather late." he said, looking at his watch.

"Hey, it's just seven o' clock! It's still early! We can still go shopping or beat the crap out of the bad guy!" Ran exclaimed, gesturing wildly in the air with her arms.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Haven't you read the manga "**Confidential Issues**"? The story was that the girl was raped after her date with her boyfriend. It was seven o' clock then and there were even many people on the street." Rei explained patiently.

"Oh…? I haven't read that, but I certainly heard of it before." Ran whispered in wonder. "But you explaining it made me scared already."

"Scaredy-cat."

"What the—" Ran exclaimed, her eyebrows furrowing. She pointed out at Rei suddenly. "I am not afraid of anything or anyone!"

"Whatever." Rei sighed. "But it's normal to be scared of being raped, too. I'm getting freaked out just thinking of guys raping me all of a sudden." He explained followed by a twitching of his right eye.

"Hmm, really?" Ran whispered, like she was talking only to herself, observing Rei's quirk. "What if beautiful girls raped you?"

Rei coughed meaningfully. "Well…that's another story…" he whispered with his hand muffling words, and he looked away with a slight blush.

Ran poked Rei's head hardly. "As expected of perverted boys!" Ran exclaimed and she walked fast so that she was in front of Rei.

"I am not a pervert. It's just that it's different when it's all beautiful girls. I mean—that's every guy's fantasy." Rei said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Ran said, waving her hand at him.

Rei watched Ran—no, he watched her hips. He didn't know why his eyes focused on that part of her, but being a teenage boy does a lot of changes in his body and mind. "I better walk you home."

Ran giggled. "Why? Are you my boyfriend?" she scoffed.

"No. I just don't want Aya asking me troublesome questions if something happens to you." Rei said nonchalantly, stepping beside Ran.

Ran looked at Rei that was beside her then she looked away with a small smile. "It's for Aya, huh…?" she murmured so softly and lowly so Rei wouldn't hear it.

"Huh?" Rei looked at her confusedly.

"I said you're a jerk!" Ran exclaimed, crossing her arms at her chest, accompanied by a pout that was unlikely of her.

"Nn."

"What the hell does "Nn" mean!" Ran exclaimed, ready to yank Rei's hair that was near from her grasp.

"Nn."

"AAAARGGH! You annoy me big time!"

"You annoy me more. You attract people, so shut the hell up."

"Is that a way to talk to a girl—and to Kotobuki Ran?"

"Who's that?"

"AAAARGGGH!"

Unknown to Ran, Rei was smiling at the conversation they were having. It was not much, but it meant a lot.

The truth was that Rei heard what Ran had said. He was a bit confused, but he knew what she meant.

Maybe…Ran has _feelings_ for him? Why would she say that if she doesn't **_feel_** anything? It was probably just his imagination….

Maybe.

_Maybe not._

* * *

**To be continued…**

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**Author's notes**: Okay, I admit it. I updated this for the sake of updating. I'll need to edit the next chapter, so just wait for it, guys! Again, I'm so sorry I left all of you hanging and waiting for the next chapter! I'll put all my effort in making this an ultimate ReiXRan fanfiction!

**Koharu-chan **(daisuki!)


	4. Of Sandals, Wicked Sandwich, and Bottles

**Author's notes: **_Yatta!_ This is my final revision of the story! It was kind of tiring to do all these stuff with all the school work. It's really a pain! But since I care so much about my dear readers, I finished this chapter! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I hope I didn't disappoint any of you (except for the super-long updating, that is)! Hehehe! Also, I made Rei and Yuuya schoolmates of the gang. Don't get confused!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Chou_ GALS! Kotobuki Ran and if I did I swear I'm dead right now because of all the ReiXAya fans out there! Seriously, why are some of their fans so…aggressive? I'm going to repeat it for the sake of some peeps…

_**If you don't want the pairing, do not read.**_

...as simple as that.

(**Warning:** foul language, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, and others are present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and maybe watching GALS! again isn't necessary.** **And the story plot is mine, okay?**_

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**Previously…**

* * *

_Unknown to Ran, Rei was smiling at the conversation they were having. It was not much, but it meant a lot._

_The truth was that Rei heard what Ran had said. He was a bit confused, but he knew what she meant._

_Maybe…Ran has feelings for him? Why would she say that if she doesn't **feel** anything? It was probably just his imagination…._

_Maybe._

Maybe_ not._

* * *

**Give me a Chance, Chapter 4: Tell me everything**

* * *

"**Ow!**"

Rei looked back in annoyance with an exasperated sigh. "That happened about 3 times now." He commented, walking ahead. "Why are you so fond of wearing high heels anyway?"

The two were in the middle of a park that was near Ran's home. They were supposed to be in each other's homes by then, but the clumsy _chou_gal kept tripping that Rei was convinced (and forced) that he'd better walk her straight to her home.

"I like wearing them!" Ran glared at his back. "Aren't you going to help me get up!" she yelled.

"You're a _chou_gal, aren't you? You don't need any help from me." Rei whispered, turning around to face Ran who was still lying on the floor. He eyed the broken strap of the high-heeled sandal.

Ran tried to get up with her arms. "…and you call yourself a man? That's such a shame!" she exclaimed. She was about to say more hurtful words when she saw Rei approaching her. "Ha! Did my words get at you? So now you want to prove you're a—"

"—at least keep your mouth shut for a while." Rei said, unperturbed, kneeling in front of Ran and taking the broken sandal.

Ran's eyes widened and she blinked confusedly. "Are you going to fix it?" she asked, ignoring what Rei had said.

The brunet looked at the girl in front of him and seemed to stare at her absently. "I don't want to sound rude but—"

"—you are rude." Ran interrupted.

Rei didn't falter. "—your house is just near. You can walk without your sandal if you want to." He held out a hand to the almost-annoyed girl.

"Why are gentlemen disappearing slowly nowadays?" Ran asked without looking at the brunet youth, slapping his hand and standing on her own. She brushed off imaginary dirt from her skirt and sat immediately on the bench beside them as if she wasn't able to stand up for long.

Rei didn't miss her soft wince when she stood up. He saw a nasty gash on her right knee. "What are you saying? If I tried to help you, you wouldn't let me anyway. Why waste my time if you're not going to comply?" he whispered, moving towards Ran, still on his knees.

Ran rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"As expected."

"H-hey! What the heck are you doing, Otohata?" Ran asked nervously when she saw Rei's face nearly touching her wounded knee.

"Does it hurt?" Rei asked in a whisper that Ran barely heard.

"No it doesn't!" the bleached-blonde girl exclaimed, laughing loudly. "Why would such a small wound hurt me? You really are—"

Rei poked the gash with his finger.

"THAT REALLY HURTS, DAMMIT!"

The handsome youth hid an amused smile. "You said it didn't hurt. Quit acting so tough."

Ran gritted her teeth and waved her fist in front of Rei. "It's now my fault?"

Rei drew out a handkerchief from his pocket and started to rip it in half with his teeth. He wrapped the cloth around Ran's knees and tied it tightly. When he was sure that it was secured, he stood up and looked at her. He was surprised to see her looking back at him.

"T-thanks…even though I didn't need your help at all." Ran whispered, looking at her bandaged knee.

Rei wasn't able to say something until he saw her look up at him again. "I just didn't want you to complain. You're so loud." He replied, picking up the sandal he dropped a while ago. He sat next to Ran on the bench and observed the strap of the sandal.

"Oh." She felt disappointed; she didn't know why. She clenched and unclenched her fists, wanting to open up a conversation. But with the stuck-up guy next to her, it was hard to do it. He wasn't very sociable, anyway. Poor guy—and she didn't even know why that thought entered in her mind.

With a soft cry of triumph, the stoic boy finished fixing the sandal and he laid it on the ground beside Ran's feet. He glanced at the bandaged knee afterwards and noticed that it was the same handkerchief that he used to wipe Aya's tears. She was crying because she wasn't happy doing all the things for her parents and because she separated herself from Ran's group. He didn't want to see her cry then. It broke his heart.

He didn't want to see anybody cry—especially in front of him. He didn't want them to look up at him and ask for his advice. He didn't want them to see him as their savior, their light. But it was different with Aya. She only silently asked for someone to listen and he was fine with that. But since she was a kind-hearted girl, he couldn't help but comfort her a little.

He couldn't help but take a quick look at Ran beside him. Images of Ran crying so much flooded his mind. What would he do if that happened? Will it happen? Would he only wipe her tears away? Would he hug her? Would he…?

"Why do you put up with me?" she asked suddenly, surprising Rei again and interrupting his trail of thoughts.

"Huh?" Rei asked absently.

"I mean," she paused, staring at brunet. "You said so yourself that you didn't want girls like me who are vain." She pointed an accusing and well-manicured finger at him.

Rei kept quiet for a moment. "I didn't say that."

"Yes you did!" Ran exclaimed. "I just figured that if you don't like girls like me, then why are you not pushing me away? Or just ignore me? Why are you still friends with me?" she asked.

Rei blinked. "I…guess you're different." He whispered, looking away. He was _very_ aware that he was blushing with what he said.

"Different? How come?" Ran continued, making him blush more, seemingly unaware of Rei's current condition.

The handsome brunet stood up suddenly. "Don't ask useless questions. Let's go home now. Your parents will worry." He said.

Thankfully, Ran chose to drop the subject and she stood up slowly. "They're not at home. They're in a vacation trip and my sister's on a field trip. Yamato maybe working in nightshift. Nobody will worry." She said, wearing her sandal.

"Are you okay?" Rei asked.

Ran nodded. "As I said, this is nothing. I've experienced much more painful gashes than this one." She whispered and smiled widely. Rei didn't know if she was referring to a physical or emotional gash.

After a few walks, they were already on the doorstep of the Kotobuki home. "Since you did something nice to me for once, why don't you come in and have something to eat?" she said, opening the door.

Rei shook his head. "No, thanks. I need to do some homework. Do yours, too." He said and turned around to walk away.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't tell me what to do, genius." Ran muttered sheepishly. She watched as Rei walked slowly. "Hey Otohata!"

Rei looked back.

Ran smiled widely. "Thanks for everything, sarcastic monkey!" she exclaimed, sticking her tongue out.

"Hn." Rei smirked at her and started to walk away, disappearing slowly from Ran's vision.

_Sarcastic, huh? Hell, I'm only sarcastic when I'm talking to her. She's the only one. Kotobuki Ran…very different indeed._

* * *

"**Whoa!**"

"Everyone, look! Ran's here already!" Satsuki exclaimed, pointing out the walking chougal out of the classroom window.

"What?" Miyu stood up from her seat and approached the window. "It is her! Aya, come take a look! Ran's early today…and she's even walking towards the school!" she exclaimed.

Aya blinked confusedly at Miyu. "Seriously?" she asked, standing up. She looked out of the window and saw Ran walking very slowly, as if she was thinking of something deeply.

"Maybe something happened to her…" Miyu whispered.

Aya nodded. "Just look at her face. She's thinking of something so seriously." she commented. "Let's ask her what's wrong when she gets here."

Miyu sat on the desk of Aya. "You're right. Anyway, how are things with Otohata-kun?" she asked, giggling when she saw her lovely friend blush.

"It's fine. He's still a bit shy when it comes to kissing and touching, I think. He won't take things to…_that_ level." Aya murmured, playing with her pencil.

"Hmm…"

"But I'm fine with that. I'm willing to wait, even if it takes forever." Aya said, flashing a sweet smile.

Miyu smiled back and brushed a stray hair away from her face. "That's good. Good things come to people who wait."

Aya nodded in agreement then stared at the girl in front of her. "So did you and Yamato-san…you know…took it to the _next_ level?" the dark-haired girl asked.

Miyu laughed. "It's a secret!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing. "Anyway, why don't you dye your hair red now that you have a boyfriend?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot. I will when I remember." Aya said, laughing. She suddenly saw in the corner of her eye the classroom door open. She stood up to greet Ran. "Ohayou, Ran-chan!" she said together with Miyu.

Ran looked at them. "Ou." She just said and plopped down on her seat. She rested her chin on her palm and looked at the board blankly.

"Hey Ran! Why the hell are you early today?" Satsuki asked, smiling. Unfortunately for her, Ran's stare made her feel so uneasy.

Miyu looked at Ran, then at Satsuki, then back at Ran. "Um…can you leave us for a while? We're going to talk." she requested, looking at their classmates that crowded around Ran's desk. She smiled widely when they obeyed and left the three of them.

"What's wrong? You're early today and that's bizarre." Aya commented.

"You can tell us." Miyu said, placing a hand on Ran's shoulder.

Ran looked at Aya and then looked away. She couldn't look at her straight in the eye. She felt so guilty—and she didn't know why. "It's just about the rumor going around our neighborhood. It's nothing much. I'm just pissed off because it's false."

"Rumor? What rumor?" Miyu asked, sitting on Ran's desk.

"It's nothing. Do you have something to eat?" Ran asked the two girls while biting the end of her pencil. "I forgot to eat breakfast. I'm really hungry!" she whined.

Fortunately, Aya seemed to forget what they were talking about and rushed towards her desk. "You can have my sandwich. Will that do?" she asked, holding up her lunch bag.

Ran nodded eagerly. "Yes! Anything! Just as long it's food, that is." She said and took the lunch bag. "Wait. What about your lunch?"

"It's okay. I can buy something in the cafeteria." Aya reassured her. "Just eat!"

Ran smiled and took a bite. Her face lightened up. "This is so good! Did you make this yourself, Aya?" she asked, her mouth still full.

"Yes. I learned it from a television show. I'm glad you liked it!" Aya smiled widely. She was so grateful that she made Ran happy.

"You need something to drink? I can get it for you." Miyu said to Ran, preparing to stand up.

"Um… I'll just get it for her. Anyways, I might meet Rei on my way there." Aya proposed. Ran flinched when she heard Rei's name.

"Uh…okay? Why are you doing all these things?" Miyu asked confusedly.

"Yeah. It's okay. I can get it." Ran nodded, swallowing a large lump of food. "You don't have to do things for me."

"No particular reason. It's just that I might meet Rei there, since his class is just near. I need to tell him something." Aya said, walking towards the door. "I'll be back in a flash!" And in an instant, she was gone. She also left the door open.

Ran and Miyu stared at each other confusedly. They both shrugged.

"So what was the rumor about?" Miyu whispered suddenly.

The hyper bleached-blonde girl blinked. "Wha-what?"

Miyu smiled slyly. "It's about Otohata Rei, huh?" she said, nudging Ran with her elbow.

Ran froze. "W-w-what are you talking about! You ask foolish questions! Hahaha!" she exclaimed. She was so shocked! Why did Miyu suddenly bring up Otohata Rei? Does she know about…?

"And look! He's even here!" Miyu exclaimed, looking at the door.

Ran followed her gaze and indeed saw Rei in front of their classroom, talking to a senior. He was also surrounded by a couple of girls and boys.

"He really is a devil huh? He keeps popping out whenever we talk about him." Miyu commented, muffling her laughs with her hand, showing the well-manicured, colored-green nails.

Ran couldn't help but laugh at what Miyu said. She was right though. Rei was like a mushroom (or devil, there's not much difference) that keeps popping out of nowhere. They laughed for a while and Ran seemed to feel even better despite about the crazy rumors going around her neighborhood.

_Rei is cheating on Aya? What nonsense! They don't know what they're talking about._

When they finally stopped laughing, Ran shook her head and got back to her sandwich. However, as she bit the sandwich, her eyes gravitated to where Rei was and lo and behold, her eyes met his deep brown, very sexy eyes.

He was looking at her.

Ran nearly choked on the sandwich and all the while she heard Rei's clear laugh ringing throughout the establishment, presumably because of a joke someone told. By the time she recovered with a bit of coughing and clawing for air, Rei was no longer looking at her. If she hadn't been so damned flustered, she would've thought she imagined the whole thing. But it was no accident. He had to crane his body like a hundred eighty degrees to do that.

_Strange, but awesome._

Ran glowed, she knew it, and Miyu probably felt the force of it, but said nothing because Satsuki distracted her immediately with a fashion magazine. Ran stood up to go to the window before Miyu could inquire about her near death experience with the sandwich. She looked back again, and she didn't saw Rei anymore.

* * *

"Is that all?" a high-pitched girly voice asked.

Aya nodded and handed the needed money to the cashier of the cafeteria. "Thank you very much." she said and went out, holding the bottle of water. She looked around the nearly-filled-with-people quadrangle, hoping to see a certain brunet. She didn't see him around, unfortunately, so she decided to go back to the classroom. However, while she was walking in the hallway, she saw Rei by the staircase.

Rei stared at her without saying anything.

Aya blinked confusedly, but she shrugged it off. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Rei!" she exclaimed excitedly, running towards Rei and hugging him tight.

"Ohayou." Rei whispered, but he didn't return the hug. He really didn't want the people to see them displaying their affections in public.

Before Rei could say something to her, Aya withdrew from the hug and looked up at the brunet's face. "Something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Rei looked at Aya's eyes, recalling what just happened a while ago. He used all his will power not to show a wide grin. "Nothing's wrong. Aren't you supposed to be in your class?"

"Well yes, but it's still early and I needed to buy some water for Ran-chan." Aya paused, looking at the bottled water on her hands. "You know, something's bothering her. I…just feel there's something wrong going on."

Rei blinked. "What happened?" he asked, wanting to know.

"I don't know if it's normal, but she came in here early and she didn't even have her breakfast. Plus, she was frowning when she entered the classroom. She isn't like that. I kind of figured that something happened that made her like that." Aya explained slowly, worrying.

Rei stared at the bulletin board in front of them, equally worried. She had been fine just yesterday…but what happened after? Was it because of something concerning him?

...or someone else?

He was unconsciously clenching and unclenching his fists. Just thinking about someone hurting her both physically and emotionally angered him. He didn't know why.

"Um…Rei?"

Rei looked at Aya immediately when his thoughts were interrupted. "What?"

"I was just wondering…" Aya was playing with the lid of the bottle, the droplets of water streaming down on her hands. "…if you could accompany me to the bookstore just around the block to buy a certain book. Then after that, we could go out, like, eat or something…" she trailed off. She looked up at him with eyes that sparked with hope.

Rei kept quiet. He had a sudden urge to say something, and he did nothing to stop it. "Sorry." He whispered.

Aya looked down on the floor almost immediately.

Rei felt guilty when he saw _that_ look on Aya's face. "I have a pictorial later for a magazine… I'm sorry I can't go with you." he continued, placing both of his hand on Aya's shoulders.

Aya seemed to be comforted by Rei's touch. She looked up at him again with a small smile. "That's okay… I guess we'll just go out next time. Oh, we have to get to class." Aya said while looking at her watch. She leaned in to place a kiss on Rei's lips, but the stoic boy pulled back slightly.

"I…better go. I'm sorry." Rei murmured and quickly walked away before Aya could get a word in.

The beautiful dark-haired girl was left standing alone in the hallway, utterly puzzled. "I wonder what's wrong with him…" she said to no one in particular, the school bell ringing.

* * *

**To be continued…**

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**Author's notes: **If you already noticedI got some lines in this chapter from a Naruto fanfiction called, "I fell in love with a boy" (you can find it in my favorites). It's really funny and well-written! It's unfortunate that the author is not updating anymore. Oh yeah, please wait for the next chapter! It'll come out soon, I promise!

All kinds of reviews are welcome! Even flamers too can leave a review (please do XD)! You will receive a super special **_howalon _**if you do (refer to Gakuen Alice manga chapter 12)! Thank you very much for reading all the way!

Koharu-**_hime_** (Nyahahaha! I really should stop daydreaming XD)

**P.S. **Whenever I want to type "Rei", I type "Ran". You may find my mistake somewhere in this chapter if ever I missed it when I was checking it. It's really confusing!

Hit that button! No, not the "back" button! The "submit a review" button! Yes! Right there! Thank you very much!


	5. Of Lucky Buns, Rei’s Eyelash, and Kisses

**Author's notes: **Nyahahaha! I know I won't get away with just a freaky laugh (scratches head). Anyway, you all probably know what I'm going to say: **I'M SORRY**! That got your attention, huh? Anyways, I'm sorry for not updating so quickly! I had a very bad writer's block and I'm just really busy with my life nowadays. Also, because of my super late updating, I made this chapter longer than usual! I hope you all are happy with it, especially in the end. What a cliffhanger, huh? What's more, my birthday is **_very _**near, so this is like my "blowout" for you all! Hooray for me!

**Notice: **I edited the previous chapters—they're so badly written! Oh yeah, just to take up space, I think of Otohata Rei as Kinimoto Touya a lot of times. I don't know why, and you'll probably notice at some points that Touya's a LOT like Rei. Oh well. I guess I have to overcome my never-ending addiction to CCS! Also, I changed the titles of the chapters. I was tremendously inspired by the interesting chapter names of "Himitsu", a Clamp Gakuen Tanteidan fic. Thank you for inspiring me!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Chou_ GALS! Kotobuki Ran! I only own a pair of white socks.

(**Warning:** foul language, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, and others may be present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and maybe watching GALS! again isn't necessary.** **And the story plot is mine, okay?**_

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**Previously…**

_Rei felt guilty when he saw that look on Aya's face. "I have a pictorial later for a magazine… I'm sorry I can't go with you." he continued, placing both of his hand on Aya's shoulders._

_Aya seemed to be comforted by Rei's touch. She looked up at him again with a small smile. "That's okay… I guess we'll just go out next time. Oh, we have to get to class." Aya said while looking at her watch. She leaned in to place a kiss on Rei's lips, but the stoic boy pulled back slightly._

"_I…better go. I'm sorry." Rei murmured and quickly walked away before Aya could get a word in._

_The beautiful dark-haired girl was left standing alone in the hallway, utterly puzzled. "I wonder what's wrong with him…" she said to no one in particular, the school bell ringing._

* * *

**Give Me a Chance Chapter 5: Of Lucky Buns, Rei's Eyelashes, and Simple Kisses**

* * *

"Ran-san is acting so weird today… I wonder what's wrong with her."

"Could it be because of her boyfriend? I heard that they broke up…"

Ran looked up at the bright blue sky through the sunglasses she was wearing. It was lunch break and she was just leaning on the trunk of the tree facing the school building. She had just finished her lunch and she was bored. She didn't feel like talking to Miyu and Aya either—especially to the latter. She didn't know why, but she felt something strange just facing Aya after her talk with Rei and his **_look_** a while ago.

Damn it, what was with that asshole anyway?

"Have you heard about the rumor about Kotobuki-san?"

Ran grinned faintly and closed her eyes as she leaned further on the trunk. She could hear her classmates talking about her. Sometimes, when she's (un)lucky, she would hear the backstabbing of some of her _friends _about her. She didn't know whether to feel good or bad. She didn't know whether to confront them or not. She wished she had the stoic personality of Rei. It could be helpful. Well, does it matter?

_This is too amusing. I keep thinking about different things and it seems like it always connects with a certain brunet jerk._

"Thinking about something? That's a new one."

Ran laughed out loud with a boyish snort. She opened her eyes and _tried_ to glare at Rei standing in front of her, blocking the sun. She was laughing hard that it seemed it was hard for her to speak or even breathe. "And here you are. You really are a devil who just keeps popping out of the blue, huh?" she managed to squeak.

"What the…?" Rei raised his eyebrows either from annoyance or amusement. "What did I do now?" He said as he absently sat beside Ran on the soft grass, frowning.

"Oh nothing. You are just more annoying than usual. Why are you here anyway?" Ran asked, sitting up straight. "I don't want your fan girls to come and ruin the mood of peacefulness."

"They won't come. They think I'm still in the comfort room." The stoic boy looked at the tree behind them, fingering the rough trunk, knowing that Ran was thinking that he had escaped from the comfort room window. "I just finished eating my lunch then I was bored. What about you? You ate your lunch already?" He stopped what he was doing when Ran nodded. "I guess you mistook your lunch for breakfast huh? I bet you were so hungry that you ended up choking." His eyes caught Ran's murderous glare and smirked knowingly. Embarrassed was she?

Ran turned away, refusing to let the asshole see her flushed face. She was sure she was red even in the neck. "Y-you don't know what you're talking about!" she exclaimed, utterly embarrassed. She refused to bring up the subject about Rei staring at her a while ago in the morning. It made her weak; made her feel like a typical lovesick teenage girl.

_Lovesick? The hell? The Queen of Shibuya isn't allowed to be lovesick!_

Rei let out a soft chuckle before resting his back on the trunk of the tree. "You know…you can be less annoying if you're quiet. Really, all you _really_ need to do is shut up and not cause trouble for us all." He paused, smirking again when he got the desired reaction.

If looks could really kill, Rei would've been dead ten times by now. Ran was biting her lip and clenching her fists, showing the obvious signs of annoyance or anger. "You…" Ran began to whisper in a very low tone accompanied by a deadly glare, but she stopped when Rei suddenly stood up.

"…but then, you wouldn't be _you _if you don't attempt to cause me aneurism at least twice a day when we meet." Rei continued, as if he was talking to himself. He turned around to look at her. "I…guess I prefer your company than any other girls. They bore me to death. But you always get a reaction from me, even if it's negative. You…" he trailed off, walking away slowly.

Ran blinked, waiting for Rei to finish what he was saying, awfully curious.

"You're interesting."

That was all that was said before Rei walked away quickly. He walked so fast that if Ran wasn't paying attention, she would've thought he vanished into thin air.

Ran didn't know that her eyes widened. She felt something hot creep on her cheeks and because of it she unconsciously placed both her hands on the sides of her reddened face. "Wha…what happened…?" she whispered to herself, playing the scene a while ago again and again in her head.

"Many people have said that, but when it came from him, I…" Ran murmured, drawing up her knees to her chest. "It's my first time feeling like this… It feels…weird."

"Oi! Ran-chan!"

The chougal looked up, surprised, and saw Aya waving at her by the window of their classroom. "Lunch break's almost over!" she exclaimed.

Ran blinked many times. She calmed herself, calmed her heartbeat, before standing up to go into the classroom. "He's…not thinking very well. He doesn't know that I like him, but if he continues to say such things like that to me, I don't know if…" she trailed off. She stopped walking.

Suddenly, Ran didn't feel like going to class anymore.

* * *

Unknown to Rei and Ran, Yuuya was watching them from the rooftop. He was there to take off things in his mind like the incident with Ran and her rejection. He was really hurt. He even remembered the exact same words Ran said to him.

"_I had suspicions… You only confirmed it today."_

"_I'm glad you told me. You are very brave…and it's rare for men to confess things like that. You could use it in the future, Yuuya!"_

"_I—I'm sorry, Yuuya."_

But what hurt him more was when Ran told her the guy she likes. He was such a fool! If only he was paying attention to what was happening to him, he wouldn't have fallen for her that much! And to think that it was his **best friend **Otohata Rei that she likes…the same Otohata Rei that is Hoshino Aya's boyfriend!

_Seeing them together just a while ago…_

He punched the floor very hard that his fist bled, sputtering the blood across the cemented ground. He wanted to abhor Rei, but he just couldn't! It wasn't Rei's fault that Ran had overlooked him. No, it wasn't Rei's fault at all.

"Why does it have to be Rei that she likes? Why couldn't he be another guy? Also, Rei already has a girlfriend! Did Ran think of that? Why won't she pick me instead?" Yuuya's mind raced with unanswered questions.

But suddenly, as if struck by lightning, Yuuya's heartbeat stopped and he almost forgot to breathe. There was Ran standing by the exit, looking at him with a shocked expression.

Ran quickly ran towards Yuuya, grabbing his arm so hard that he winced. "Hey! What happened to your hand? You're bleeding!" she exclaimed, stating the obvious.

"It's nothing." Yuuya said calmly. He was a man and he wouldn't allow himself to show his weakness to a girl—especially to a girl he loved dearly.

"Quick! We have to go to the clinic!" Ran exclaimed again, worried. She tugged Yuuya's sleeve and pulled him towards the door. "Come on."

Yuuya watched her for a while. His eyes followed the trickling of sweat from her forehead to her cheek. He itched to brush away the stray hairs on her face. "I won't give up." he said suddenly, startling the chougal.

It took 5 seconds for Ran to speak. "Uh…yeah! Don't give up! I'm sure your hand will be—"

"I'm not talking about that."

"Then what?" Ran urged.

Yuuya freed his arm from Ran's grasp before raising his eyes to look at her. Ran couldn't help but arch an eyebrow in response, waiting. Biting his lip, Yuuya glanced down, frowned, and then looked up, eyes sparking with determination.

"I'm not giving up on you."

Despite the noises the trees were making when the wind came and the loud chattering of students from the classroom beneath them, the surroundings felt as though it had fallen deathly silent. Ran stared at the blond youth, not sure she had heard right. At last she said, "Come again?"

Yuuya refused to repeat it. He didn't meet her eyes anymore and he ran off towards the exit in haste. He was such in a hurry to get away from Ran that he almost tripped from the staircase. He ignored the throbbing pain from his hand. He even ignored Rei who he passed by in the hallway.

He didn't care about anything anymore.

* * *

"So are you going somewhere today?" Miyu asked as she packed her things inside her bag. It was already dismissal time and it meant that it was time for shopping and other things that concerned fashion!

Aya nodded her head slowly. "I wanted to go to the bookstore with Rei, but he's busy with his pictorials." she whispered, getting Ran's attention.

"He declined to go with you?" Ran asked, pushing a bubblegum tablet in her mouth.

"Yes he did. So…would you mind if we go to the bookstore first?" Aya asked, turning to Miyu and Ran. "I really don't want to be alone."

"No, not at all!" Miyu exclaimed. "Right, Ran?"

"Of course!" Ran replied as she started to chew on her candy, trying to be cheerful. The day was so weird for her. First it was Rei who was acting weird and then Yuuya who ran away from her.

_Am I that scary? _She laughed bitterly.

"You know…" Aya started, sliding the zipper of her bag. "Rei was acting weird a while ago. I don't know, but…it's as if he didn't want to be around me. It's like he's being forced to be with me." She murmured.

This caught Ran's attention. Before she could inquire about what had happened, Miyu stepped in. "Talk to him tomorrow then observe if he's still acting weird. Yamato is sometimes like that because he gets pressured at work and such things. Find out what's wrong with him. Maybe he has a problem of some sort and you can help him out." Miyu explained, putting a reassuring hand on Aya's shoulder.

"Yeah! If he's still like that, I'll punch him senselessly until he's unconscious!" Ran exclaimed, punching the air. She would do anything just to make her friends happy.

"Oh, but stop if he's going to die already! I don't want him to die!" Aya said, tears coming out of eyes as she laughed heartily. Ran really amused her and she always made her laugh.

The three girls began walking downstairs to their lockers. They wore their shoes as they talked animatedly about the latest trends in dresses and hairstyles.

"I'm hungry." Ran announced suddenly when they reached the gate, massaging her stomach.

"Oh don't worry. I'm sure we'll see a food stall somewhere nearby." Miyu said, smiling.

"Your treat?"

"Haha, no way!"

"Anyway…are you guys sure you want to come with me?" Aya began, pulling out her _ketai_ (cellphone) from her bag.

Miyu waved her hand in front of her face. "Yes, of course! Don't worry about us, Aya." She stroked her hair and unconsciously played with the tip that was dyed red.

Aya looked at it, making a mental note to dye her hair red when she had the opportunity.

"So…where's that bookstore of yours?" Ran said quickly, changing the subject. She put her hands behind her head. "Books…they're a waste of time."

Aya smiled. "The bookstore's just near **_Hachiko's_** statue. Also, there might be some books that you can be interested in, like food recipes or something." she commented. She began to dial some numbers on her _ketai_ and put it beside her right ear. "Excuse me."

Ran and Miyu nodded as they watched Aya walk towards a tree far away from them. They could still hear Aya's voice but they couldn't make out on what she said over the phone.

Aya looked back at her friends then at her phone. "_Moshi-moshi_? Ah, Rei! How are you? We're on our way towards the bookstore I was telling you about. It's good that Ran-chan and Miyu-chan agreed to accompany me." A pause. "Rei? Rei! Are you still there?"

Over the phone, Rei was staring at the three girls by the bridge. He could see them clearly from here. He was just passing by when the phone rang—then he looked around and saw them. His eyes focused quickly on the attention-getter Ran as she fought off some boys who tried to hit on her. He cleared his throat and took in a short breath. "My pictorial was postponed. I can still accompany you." He whispered, his eyes never leaving the bleached-blonde girl.

The truth was that he didn't have any pictorial or some sort. He didn't know why he made an excuse to not accompany his girlfriend. But seeing Aya's friend, the self-proclaimed Queen of Shibuya, made him change his mind. He didn't also know why.

Aya's eyes widened. "Oh, but Ran-chan and…" A sudden movement from the corner of her eyes caught her attention. She turned her head towards the bridge nearby and saw Rei looking at _her_. "I didn't know you're here!" she exclaimed so loudly that she surprised the two girls.

"Hey…what are you talking about?" Ran said loudly after the boys ran away from her in fright. She looked at Miyu and Aya and saw them staring forward at something. _Don't tell me it's…_

Ran followed their stares and her eyes widened in surprise. There was Rei standing on the bridge, his eyes looking at them—or at her. She flushed when she felt the 'heat' of Rei's gaze fixed on her, she couldn't be wrong. He was looking at her with those eyes and she was sure of that. She suddenly felt something tingle in her stomach.

The brunet smiled slightly when he noticed from afar that Ran turned away after her eyes locked with his. "It's okay. I'm coming with you even if they're behind us." He said over the phone and closed it, walking towards the end of the bridge so he could meet the three. "It wouldn't be that bad anyway, huh?" he added, smiling slightly in excitement.

Aya stared at her phone and blinked, still wondering why Rei had hung up on her. Shrugging it off, she put the phone in her bag and walked towards her friends. "Rei said he would go with us." She stated, looking obviously happy.

Miyu blinked as Ran gaped at her. "**_WHAT AND WHAT_**!" they both shouted simultaneously.

Aya smiled widely at the reactions of her best friends. "Yes, he's going with us for a while. He really is sweet, isn't he? He doesn't even care if you two are with us—unlike other guys!" she exclaimed as she touched her reddening cheeks.

Ran shook her head quickly. She wanted to go separate herself from them, maybe investigate some cases in Shibuya, anything as long as she stayed away from Rei. But if she did so, it would make Aya confused and sad. She didn't want that to happen. She didn't want to be selfish.

Miyu gave her that strange look again, showing that she was worried about their leader.

Ran closed her eyes, her eyebrows almost touching each other, her fists clenching tightly. After a while, she opened her eyes slowly and looked at Aya who was blinking in confusion. She then forced a wide smile and guffawed loudly. "Ha! As long as he treats us in a fancy restaurant with his fancy pay from work, I can hold off from nagging him nonstop!" she exclaimed.

Miyu was speechless, but when Ran looked at her, she forced a smile and nodded at Aya. "Just as long as he doesn't complain about being bored when we go shopping for clothes, I'm okay with him." she stated.

"Also," Ran butted in, waving Aya a warning finger. "I don't want you two acting all lovey-dovey in front of us. It would make us oh-so envious!" she cried.

"Yes, yes!" Miyu agreed.

Aya showed a lovely, genuine smile. She felt so blissful and she couldn't help but giggle. "Okay!" she said in response, nodding her head many times. She waved at Rei who was approaching them and when he was near, she hugged him tight as though she hadn't seen him for a long time.

A _ketai_ rang. It was Miyu's. She excused herself and she went towards the place where Aya had been, obviously talking to her boyfriend Yamato. It wasn't hard to know with that smile on her face.

Rei didn't return the hug of Aya like before. He noticed that Ran was staring at the ground, presumably because she felt alone, with no one to talk to. Rei then let out a soft cough and it made the chougal look up at him.

He just looked at her, like he was trying to say something with his eyes. He pulled away gently from Aya's hug and fixed his uniform, still looking at Ran. She didn't move her eyes away. Their eyes locked for a while, ignoring the people around them.

This didn't go unnoticed by Aya and Miyu who was finished talking to the phone. They felt the intense heat from the stares of the two. They felt beads of sweat forming on their foreheads as if it was a humid day. But the truth was, the cold breeze kept coming, sweeping the leaves from the ground.

Aya was really confused on why the two were looking at each other as if they were about to fight—or something else. She couldn't help but intrude. "A-no…"

Suddenly, the two jerked away in surprised as if they had done something wrong—like kiss in front of their friends. Ran couldn't look at Aya straight in the eye while Rei did so without any hesitation.

"We should get going." Rei whispered hoarsely, grabbing Aya's hand quickly and walking ahead of the two bleached-blondes. He ignored the confused look on his girlfriend's face, not wanting to answer her silent questions.

Miyu looked at the two then at Ran. "What happened back there?" she asked.

"I don't know." Ran raised her eyes to meet her friend's. "When I looked at him straight in the eyes, it was as if my eyes were frozen on the spot. I can't divert it to another place. It's weird…really weird."

Miyu kept quiet.

"But it's nothing! I'm sure that Rei was trying to say that he doesn't have any money. I'm sure of it!" Ran exclaimed, punching her fist in the air again.

Miyu couldn't help but smile at Ran's mood swing. "Okay, if that's what you say." She began to walk ahead Ran.

Ran, however, stood still. She tried not to flinch when she saw Rei turning back slightly, shooting a glance at her over his shoulder. She started to walk after a few seconds as she rummaged her bag for something. When she found the pocket-sized mirror, she drew it up and looked at her reflection.

She was blushing.

Ran quickly threw the mirror back in her bag. "W-what was that about…?" she whispered to herself, glancing at Rei's back with a frown and sticking out her tongue at him. When she saw a lucky bun store, however, she forgot about what happened and rushed in line to buy the sought buns. "Lucky buns!" she exclaimed in excitement.

"Oh, they look so good! I think I'll buy some too." Miyu said and she turned to the lovebirds. "You two want some?"

Rei shook his head as Aya nodded. When Miyu was about to go where Ran was, Rei stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "I'll buy the buns. You go accompany Aya to that store." He said, pointing out the store that was selling beads for girls.

"Eh?"

Aya nodded. "Since Rei has no interest in such and Ran-chan is still buying some food, I think we should go together. Is it okay?" she asked.

Miyu immediately nodded. "Okay!" she said, handing Rei her wallet. When he accepted it, she ran towards Aya and grabbed her hand to lead her to the store. She didn't know why she was giving Ran and Rei an opportunity and all the while not wanting to hurt Aya. It was weird.

When he was sure that the two couldn't see them, Rei walked slowly towards Ran and leaned in to whisper something in her ear. "Why are you buying lucky buns?" He smirked slightly, knowing that one of Ran's sensitive spots were her ears.

Ran jumped and she turned around. When she saw Rei, her eyes showed that she was surprised. "Don't do that!"

"Why not?" Rei asked, arching his eyebrows.

"Shit, Otohata! Since when do people want someone's breath and icky saliva enter in their ears?" she exclaimed, her temper returning.

Rei laughed softly then, clutching his stomach in mirth.

"Che." Ran only shook her head. Rei sounded nice when he was laughing. She grinned a little. Well, it was funny.

"Hey! You better buy the buns for me now, dork!" To her ears, her voice almost sounded light and joking.

"Okay then." Rei said when his unexpected laughter subsided. He looked at Ran and saw that she was grinning. He smirked, which irked Ran, and held Ran's hand to get the money. Ran reddened, probably because of his touch or embarrassment or both.

When the chougal leader claimed the hot buns, she saw Miyu and Aya waving at them.

"Ready?" Miyu asked, holding up a small plastic bag.

Ran walked quickly towards Miyu, pointing at the plastic bags she and Aya were holding. "What are those?" she asked.

Aya and Miyu looked at each other then giggled. In a low whisper, Aya explained to Ran the contents of the bag. "They're beads—but there's more to that. We also bought love and lucky charms."

"Love charms." Ran repeated flatly.

"Shh!" Aya hissed as she put a hand over Ran's mouth. "Please don't tell Rei!" she exclaimed lowly, surreptitiously glancing at Rei who was walking towards them.

"Why not?"

"It's just…embarrassing...!" Aya murmured, giggling again. She was almost annoying. Almost.

Miyu looked for something in her bag. "I bought one for you too." She said, holding out her hand with colorful charms.

Ran eyed the beads. "Uh…I don't really need—"

"Are you girls done with that?" Rei butted in, his words dripped in sarcasm as he returned the wallet and the bag of buns to Miyu.

He had overheard what they were talking about and he couldn't help but sigh—some girls were really vain and they always believed in some things that weren't exactly true. He remembered the time when he saw Miyu and Aya pick up cans that were littered on the streets of Shibuya. They believed that if they have done something good, something even better will come back to them. He even saw Aya's diary once filled with stickers—and he heard Ran saying once that if they fill their diaries with stickers, their wish would come true. It was cute, but pathetic.

It was obvious that Aya's wish was to be his girlfriend. He wasn't blind—he wasn't clueless about everything. Aya must have been so happy when he had asked her out. Were girls really like that?

His eyes rested on Ran suddenly. _Well, there** are** exceptions…_

"Sorry to have kept you waiting!" Aya said and held Rei's hand. If one looked hard enough, he would say that her grip on Rei's hand had a ghost of possessiveness.

Ran's eyes narrowed. She didn't like Aya being overly-affectionate towards Rei (like Miyu to Yamato) in public. It wasn't just because it was embarrassing, but…

…_but what?_

The bleached-blonde watched as Aya placed her head next to Rei's arm. She smiled slightly. She had to admit it—she was jealous. Extremely jealous. But she couldn't do anything about it. She didn't want her friend to be hurt.

_Well, there are plenty of fishes in the sea, right? _Ran looked at the nearby stall selling small stuffed animals and saw a teddy bear smiling at her. She smiled back tiredly. _Right._

* * *

It was already night. In any other place, nighttime must've been peaceful—but not in Shibuya. The streets were filled with lights and noisy people, and it almost made them bats and nocturnal peeps.

The air in the place where the four were eating at smelled of hamburger grease and salt. Lively chatter mixed with the muted sound of traffic beyond the glass windows and faded blue walls. The girls around tracked Rei's every move, making him slightly annoyed.

Ran was the one who kept eating. Because it was Rei's treat, she took full advantage of it and kept on ordering. She ignored the disgusted looks given to her and kept gobbling.

The stoic boy couldn't help but watch Ran eat. When someone was treating her food, she ate carelessly and didn't mind if she wasn't dainty. She amused him endlessly. He almost let his guard down by smiling widely, but fortunately Aya distracted her friends from him.

"I've got room for dessert!" Aya announced, looking at the counter then at the brunet. "Don't worry. I'll pay for it. Does anyone want dessert?"

Ran and Miyu nodded at the same time. The latter stood up. "I'm going with you. I still can't decide on what I should order." She explained and went towards the counter.

Before joining Miyu, Aya looked back at Ran who was busy finishing off the hamburger. "What do you want for dessert, Ran-chan?" she asked.

"Anything."

Aya turned towards Rei. "What about you, Rei?"

"I'd prefer nothing."

"Okay!"

Ran nearly choked, but good thing there was a glass of water near her. She grabbed it and drank straight, sighing after. She also noticed that Rei had done the same thing, drinking from his glass of water. She was about to look at her friends ordering the dessert when she noticed something on Rei's face.

"You have an eyelash on your cheek." Ran pointed out.

Blinking in surprise, he lifted his hand to try and search for it. He then realized how stupid it was and stopped abruptly.

She pointed at his right cheek with a painted fingernail excitedly. He patted around his cheek until she told him, "There!" and he peeled it off his skin. Careful not to lose it, he held the lash on the pad of his index finger.

"You should make a wish." She suggested, peering at the dark brownish-black lash. "It's good luck, you know?"

Rei hadn't expected something like that come from her. "I thought you don't believe on such things." he stated.

Ran shook her head. "Well…that's different!" she exclaimed.

The brunet contemplated about Ran for a while, and concluded that she was still a girl full of hopes and dreams—wishes and girl delights, that is. She was really cute.

Deciding to humor her, he asked, "Then what?" He was obviously talking about the eyelash.

"Then you blow it away!" Ran sounded a little too excited, her fingers making bursting motions in the air. The bracelets around her wrist clanged and bounced.

He looked around them. The fast food joint wasn't that busy. Everyone minded their own business now, because the girls before who were staring at Rei a minute ago left already. There was no one looking to witness him doing something only girls with crushes do.

He inhaled; anticipated blowing the eyelash, then realized that he had almost forgotten to make his wish. Pausing, he made the wish and then blew off the lash. It was now lost forever amidst the dirt and dust sticking to the linoleum-tiled floors.

"So what did you wish for?" She asked, stuffing salty fries in between her lip-glossed lips.

"Doesn't telling you prevent the wish from coming true?" He countered, eating some of his own fries.

Ran pouted. He felt sorry for the fry that received a rather violent bite. "Not even a teeny tiny hint?" She wielded large eyes on him and an almost believable angelic smile.

Rei snickered, and then with a straight face said, "No."

Ran tilted her head to the side, momentarily thoughtful, and then she moved forward. Crossing her arms on top of the table, a sudden gleam lit her eyes. "Was it a wish for you and Aya to last forever together?"

"No, it isn't." He said quickly—too quickly for Ran's liking.

"You're so mean! Then what?" She urged, curiosity filling her mind.

Sitting up, Rei picked up a fry and met her curious gaze. "Tell you what. I'll let you know if it comes true."

She pouted adorably, but left it alone when Aya and Miyu returned with trays of desserts.

"So what have you been conspiring about without us?" Aya asked, placing a special sundae in front of Ran and the smallest scoop of chocolate ice cream to Rei.

"Oh it's nothing important. By the way, this looks delicious." Ran whispered, grabbing the spoon that was on the tray. She began eating, completely oblivious to the giggles Miyu and Aya made…

…and to Rei's amused stares.

* * *

When they were finished eating and window-shopping, they headed towards the street that was near Aya's home. "So…tomorrow again?" Aya asked her three best friends.

"Yeah! But make sure Otohata isn't with you!" Ran exclaimed, slapping Rei's back with her hand repeatedly.

"Stop that." Rei whispered, obviously bored. He walked towards Aya and looked at her. "Let's go."

"Go where?" Aya blinked.

"…to your house." Rei said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Oh!" Aya exclaimed, as if struck by lightning. "Oh, you don't need to walk me home. My house's just up ahead. You go walk Miyu and Ran home instead."

"**_WHAT!_**" Ran exclaimed while Miyu just laughed.

Rei snorted. "Why should I?" He was lying. Truthfully, he wanted to walk _her_ home.

"Thanks Rei!" Aya exclaimed, ignoring what Rei had said, pulling him down to place a kiss on his cheek. She ran towards her house in a flash and waved back at the three before she went inside the house.

"Let's go." Miyu said, tugging at Rei's sleeve.

"Uh…yeah." Rei whispered. When he looked at Miyu, however, he was baffled. Her eyes were filled with a strange glint, like she was about to do something naughty (not that kind of "naughty", perverts!).

They started walking towards the opposite direction from Aya's house. However, Miyu stopped walking abruptly and turned towards the two. "I… I'm going to visit Yamato. He's working nightshift, right?" she asked Ran.

The chougal leader nodded dumbly.

"See you guys tomorrow!" That was all that she said before Miyu started running away from the two individuals, who were obviously beginning to be tense.

"So… I think this happened last night." Ran whispered, letting out a short laugh.

"Yeah. It's pretty weird." Rei replied nonchalantly.

They started walking absently towards the Kotobuki household. But neither cared. As much as they hated to admit it, they wanted to feel each other's presence.

Rei began drifting on other problems he had in school. "What happened to Yuuya?" he asked her quietly.

Ran's eyes widened immediately and this piqued his curiosity. "I…don't know."

He looked at her, inquisitiveness burning in his veins. Probing, he asked, "What happened the other day between you and him?"

Now there was something strange going on. The way Rei had said the words—it had a strange emotion that Ran couldn't place her finger on.

Giving up, she sighed in exhaustion and began, "He confessed to me about something."

Rei wasn't surprised. He knew that Yuuya really loved her and that he always waited for the right time to tell her about it. Yuuya even practiced with Rei on admitting his love for the chougal. He felt sorry for Yuuya when Ran immediately said "yes" when Tatsuki asked her out.

"What did you do?"

Ran stopped walking, making Rei look at her over his shoulder. "I rejected him." She whispered inaudibly.

He kept quiet. He also knew, right from the beginning, that Ran held no interest for his best friend. He didn't want to tell Yuuya that he had no chance. It was almost funny and he would've laugh if it wasn't so sad for the both of them.

"Why?" Rei asked, watching Ran's face fill with emotions.

The bleached-blonde's lips trembled a little and she didn't look at Rei. "I can't tell you." She murmured.

Rei didn't even blink. "It's because you love someone else." he said without missing a beat.

Ran closed her eyes immediately and bit her lower lip. She didn't want him to see that she was shocked. After a while, she reluctantly nodded, her eyes still closed.

Rei just watched her. She was choking up the tears, refusing to let him see her weakness. He knew she didn't want somebody to get hurt because of her. It was so sad.

A warm hand was placed on Ran's left cheek and it made her eyes open slightly. After a while, her eyes were as wide as dinner plates when she felt the hand trail down on her cheek to her chin, the thumb dangerously near her lower lip where she had bitten on.

Rei stared back at those bright eyes that showed no fear. They were staring each other again, but this time there were no people around, no one to bother them. He unconsciously leaned down towards Ran slowly and kissed her cheek where his hand had been earlier, earning a surprised gasp from her, not pushing him away. His mouth retraced the trail of his hand and, slowly and gently, pressed his exquisitely-shaped lips on her own soft ones.

The kiss was light and gentle, both being inexperienced at it. Ran would give Tatsuki a kiss or two on his lips before, but they never deepened it. Rei still wasn't comfortable about Aya kissing him, so they've never actually held a kiss on the lips for more than a second. But it was strange. With the two of them kissing, Rei and Ran, everything was comfortable—everything seemed to be _right_. The awkward and light kisses seemed to go on for a while before they deepened the kiss.

"Um…"

The two jerked away from each other instantly as if they were burnt and turned around to look at the person who owned the voice. Covered by the darkness of the night, they saw Miyu under a tree, a glowing _ketai _in her hand.

"Um…Yamato told me not to come because it was dangerous, so I…" Miyu trailed off while blushing, watching Ran wipe her lips with her fingers, as if to remove any evidence of their unexpected kiss. She was panting and she was obviously shocked at what happened, bright red gracing her cheeks.

Rei was equally surprised. He was panting and blushing too. He didn't know what happened back then. It was very alarming and yet—he had to admit, he didn't regret it. But he felt somehow guilty when he saw fear clearly written in Ran's face.

The now quiet Ran clenched her fists. She made a faltering and embarrassing attempt to speak, but no words came out of her mouth. She was really astonished at what happened that it left her speechless. When she couldn't take the discomfiture anymore, she broke into a run, uttering a small, "Sorry."

"R-Ran-chan!" Miyu looked at Ran, then Rei, then back at Ran again. She was mystified at what had taken place a while ago. She didn't expect it—she didn't even know it would be possible!

_Rei and Ran…were kissing?_

Miyu shook her head. She shouldn't judge the both of them just yet. She needed to hear what Ran and Rei had to say. Of course, her friend has to come first. She looked at the stoic brunet who as well was staring at her, gave him a hard glare and ran away to catch up with her best friend Ran.

Only Rei was left behind, still contemplating on what happened. He placed his fingers on his lips and started tracing its shape absently, deep in thought, as he watched Ran from afar.

"You suck, Kotobuki Ran. I lost an eyelash for nothing."

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Author's notes: **Yay! I finished it already! I'm sorry if this was kind of rushed. We're going to run out of Internet connection and I just HAD to submit this story or else… Nyahahaha! I was thinking about "A Simple Kiss", a Saiyuki fanfic, when I wrote about the staring contest between Rei and Ran and their unexpected kiss. I also inserted some lines from a Naruto fanfic called, "Spiral Falling". Did you guys like it? I hope you did! Thanks for reading all the way down here! So, in my gratitude, I decided to answer the reviews!

P.S. I was drinking hot chocolate while editing this story at about 11:30 pm, and all I want to say is that you all should drink hot chocolate too while reading this story! It's really good, especially if you put tiny bits of marshmallows on top! Yummy!

Also, "Clippit" is so cute! You know…the assistant in Microsoft Word…the clip! Nyahahaha! I'm really childish…hehehe!

_Arigatou gozaimasu!_

Koharu-chan

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**Answers to the reviews:**

**Rumiko-serenity: **Yes, you are very right (nods). I think in the series Rei actually has feelings for Ran…just greater towards Aya. I don't know. But still! The purpose of this fanfic is to make Ran and Rei realize each other's true feelings! And yes, I updated. Thank you for the review!

**Khostar: **Yeah…this whole thing is going to make Aya cry…that's why I'm being nice to her in this fic. But I guess we can't avoid hurting her if we're going to pair Rei with another one. Thanks for reviewing!

**Gambit22: **Haha (scratches head)! You're right; I'm really a lazy author when it comes to updating. I don't want to make excuses, but really, it's partly because of the writer's block that I don't update. There are some days that I wanted to give up this story, but I'm glad I didn't, considering that all of you want me to finish this. Also, thank you for the suggestions. I already did what you said (I don't combine Japanese and English that much anymore and other more) but I guess I can't follow your preference about writing the first name first because, in Japan, when you say someone's first name, it means that he/she is very special to you. I'm really sorry if you don't like it! I'll try hard for all of you to improve this story! Thank you for the review and suggestions!

**RanSucks: **Wow. With your nickname, you really hate Ran, right? But I'm terribly sorry. It doesn't matter to me if I'm flamed—I don't care. You can flame me all you want, but I'm not giving this up. I'm really sorry. Oh yeah, thanks for the review! I'm not sarcastic or anything… I'm just really grateful that you had the time to leave a review! Thanks!

**Cci-chan: **Well, you're very welcome. They are my favorite too, that's why I'm writing this. Yes, I know Ran and Rei aren't schoolmates, but in this fic I made them, so it would be easier to see each other (wink). Thank you for liking this story! Thanks for the review, too!

**Jin-chan15: **Oooh you have the same birthdate? That's so cool! I'm going to be seventeen this year. How about you? Ahem, anyways, thank you for the review!

**Animelife: **Nyahahaha…I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Oh, don't worry; you're not rude at all. I feel kind of bad about not updating this fanfic that quick…but I'll try! I promise (although it's kind of hard because I'm a senior now and you know about that kind of getting-ready-for-college stuff)! Thanks for the review, anyway!

**Monsterlife: **Thank you for thinking this is a good story! I am very much pleased! I would still listen to the flamers (if they are reasonable enough) but trust me I'll never _ever_ give this up! Thank you for leaving a review!

**Pinklove: **Yeah! Unlike those other ReiXRan fics, I'll make sure this gets finished! Thanks for the review!

**Allegra21: **Aaw! Thank you for thinking this story is cute and loving it, too! I really am flattered! Thank you for the kind review!

**Nikka: **Oh no! There's another **_ME_**! Yeah, when I read your review I freaked out too! Hahaha…that's so cool! We even like the same anime and same pairings! I think I would get along with you so well. Thanks for leaving a review, my long lost twin sister!

**DRK NG3L: **Hahaha! Thanks for liking it! I'm glad I made you laugh! Yes, I would make more and make it quick! Thanks for dropping a review!

**Yen: **Thanks for loving it! Yes, I too am curious about their relationship. But trust me, they'll look cute together (just observe their attitudes to one another!)! Thanks for the review!

**Heavenlydreams: **Haha…yes, I haven't updated for a year now. I really am sorry! But I'll keep my promise! I don't want to break promises, you see. Please be patient enough for me! Thanks you for the reviews!

**Ladyknightchaos: **Oh yeah, I was once a ReiXAya fan but I grew tired of it. I don't know why. They're just…not that kind of couple that makes me go all "**_SQUEEEE!_**" whenever I see them together. I do that when Rei interacts with Ran in an amusing way. Thank you for leaving a review!

**Furuba-ffx-inuyasha:** Yes, I updated for all of you! Thanks for the quick review!

**Riku100: **Hehehe…thanks for loving this pairing and this fanfic! Just like me, I grew tired of that pairing. Thanks for wishing me luck—I know I badly need it! Thanks for the review!

**SagenWarrior: **A big thank you for loving it! Yes, I'm a softy too when it comes to people's feelings, but I guess we can't avoid to hurt someone, especially in this fic wherein Aya is really going to get hurt. Please endure it! Thanks for dropping by and leaving a review!

**Crystalsniper: **Thanksfor thinking this is a wonderful story and appreciating it as well! I agree that ReiXRan is cute and not boring. I'm definitely amused to no end when I read special moments between them. Thank you for the wonderful review!

* * *

Yes! That! Hit that button! It's okay to button-smash (considering I do that whenever I'm playing Tekken 5 against my brother)! It's also a gift for my upcoming birthday! Yay for me! 


	6. Of Rugs, Bloody Handkies, and Bouquets

**Author's notes: **Happy New Year to everyone!! First of all, I want to say "thanks" to all the people who read my fanfics. I really do appreciate the time you spend on reading my stories! Thank you!!! Also, I hope I can create more stories this year. Oh yeah, I hope blessings would shower upon us all!!

**Notice: **I heard there's going to be a Super Gals! Kotobuki Ran Season 2? Uwaaah! If that's true, I hope they give **_EMPHASIS_** to the ReiXRan pairing! Oh, I can hardly wait!! Also, Honey and Clover (and its season 2, of course) is very addicting!! I can't help but laugh at myself when I remember the time I prayed for Yamada Ayumi to end up with Mayama Takumi—and the same with Hanamoto Agumi to Takemoto Yuuta (poor Morita Shinobu being left out in my "favorite couples list", but I like him a lot. He's funny!). For those people who love romance, drama, and comedy mixed into one, **_Honey and Clover_** is the one for you! Watch it—you'll love it! (I feel like I'm in a TV show advertising something…)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Chou_ GALS! Kotobuki Ran! But I'm proud to say that I once dyed my hair a little red (but it didn't last long) just like Ran's!

(**Warning:** foul language, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, light lemon, and others may be present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and maybe watching GALS! again isn't necessary.** **And the story plot is mine, okay?**_

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* * *

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**Previously…**

* * *

_Miyu shook her head. She shouldn't judge the both of them just yet. She needed to hear what Ran and Rei had to say. Of course, her friend has to come first. She looked at the stoic brunet who as well was staring at her, gave him a hard glare and ran away to catch up with her best friend Ran._

_Only Rei was left behind, still contemplating on what happened. He placed his fingers on his lips and started tracing its shape absently, deep in thought, as he watched Ran from afar._

"_You suck, Kotobuki Ran. I lost an eyelash for nothing."_

* * *

**Give Me a Chance, Chapter 6: Of Rugs, Bloody Handkerchiefs, and Fake Bouquets**

* * *

Hoshino Aya is an extremely intelligent person. She's smart everywhere, either in the streets or in school. She has the potential to become a really great and powerful person if only she wasn't so shy. Her grades are among the highest in the school (she was going to be the top student until Ran came into her life) and loved by many people. Why would she ask for more?

Yes, she's gifted. But why was she acting like this?

Why was she acting so unsatisfied? Left out?

She was supposed to know something about everything, but she doesn't even know what the hell happened to her boyfriend and to her best friend! She noticed that Ran had been absent for two days now and Rei was always busy with his part-time job. It never occurred to her that there was only one incident why the two didn't want to show up in school or didn't want her to see them.

As Aya pondered further more about her problems, she suddenly felt something light thrown at her. She looked down and saw a piece of crumpled paper beside her shoes. She picked it up and opened it in suspense, looking around the classroom. The teacher was busy writing on the blackboard and Miyu was waving at her, a couple seats away. She smiled a little and looked down at the piece of paper she was holding.

"_Let's visit Ran later after school. We should get Rei and Yuuya too... –Miyu"_

Aya blinked and looked back at Miyu. She wasn't waving anymore and the teacher turned around to look at his drowsy students. She bent her head and didn't know why she was frowning. She looked at her _ketai_ and sighed. Now there was a problem.

Rei was absent, too. What was going on?

* * *

"Cutting classes isn't really good at all." The manager of the shop said to Rei who was working in there. "Something bad happened, like bullies messing with your hair or over-obsessive girls try to run you over?"

Rei cleaned a part of the cash register with a swipe of a rug. "I hope that doesn't happen." He whispered, showing the smallest hint of a smile. "It's far from that. It's rather complicated."

The manager looked at the handsome youth in disbelief. It was the first time he heard Rei say more than one sentence—and actually showed a smile. He shook his head and arranged the things on the shelves. "I remember my youth. I was absent for a whole week in school." He paused to look at Rei who was looking at him. "You know what happened before that? I tried to kiss the girl I liked, who was the school's idol, but she slapped me. It hurt me not only physically but emotionally."

Rei nodded, listening intently.

"I tried to avoid her as much as I can whenever I tried to get out of the house. One day after a week's passed, she saw me and confronted me. She told me that she was only surprised and didn't mean to slap me. I was so happy when she told me I had a chance with her. And that ends with a happy ending. As you see, the girl is my wife. Aren't I lucky?"

Rei smiled. "I guess." He said as he put down the rug he was using on the table.

"So, if it's a problem with a girl you like or love, you two should talk about it. You shouldn't avoid it, because it will become worse. You both have to confront it together." The manager said as he walked in his office.

Rei blinked. Was he that obvious that his manager figured out his problem? He clenched his fists. "What if…" he trailed off.

_What if you kissed the girl you liked without warning even though you have a girlfriend?_

"What if…what?" the manager asked, waiting patiently for Rei to speak up.

The brunet shook his head. "It's nothing."

The manager just shrugged it off and went inside his office to get something.

But the manager was right anyway. Ran and he must talk about what happened the other day. They need to know what happened—before they jump to other questions.

"I'm _such_ a fool…" he whispered to himself, smiling at his own stupidity.

Just as the brunet was getting ready to leave, the manager went out of his office.

"Rei-kun." He called out, watching as the young man looked back at him. "I heard this friend of yours named Kotobuki Ran has a fever. It's all over the newspapers. She's really popular, huh?" he whispered in wonder.

Rei blinked. _She's sick?_ He looked at the watch and then back at his boss. "Sir, may I visit her? I promise I'll come back quickly." He whispered.

The manager smiled, as if he had been expecting Rei to say that. "You don't need to come back. I'm okay by myself. Now hurry up and go to your friend. She needs you more than I need you here." He joked, laughing. "Tell her to get well soon."

"I will." Rei nodded gratefully and started his motorbike's engine. "Thank you very much, kind sir." He said and sped off quickly.

The manager sighed contentedly, uttering a small, "Ah, youth."

* * *

Yamato sighed as he put the tray of food down beside Ran. He sat on a small chair beside her bed and tried to calm her down because of food without any effort. "Honestly, you're supposed to be sick. Why are you acting so energetic?" he mumbled with a sigh.

Ran sat up slowly and leaned on the headboard of the bed. "Come on, it's only a cold. It's really not that bad. You were the one who insisted on me staying in the house." she retorted as she put the spoon full of porridge inside her mouth.

"It's not only a cold," Yamato began, pulling out the spoon out of his sister's mouth. "You have a fever. That's what you get for running and never wiping the sweat off your back." He scooped at the porridge and motioned Ran to open her mouth which she did so gratefully.

"So what? It's only a slight fever. It will go away soon." The chougal said, savoring the taste of the porridge. "Besides, I like to absent from school anyway…especially now." She trailed off, looking at the teddy bear beside her.

Yamato watched as Ran unconsciously handed him the spoon again. "You know…"

"Hmm?" Ran looked up at him from the teddy bear she was holding. "What is it?"

"If there's any problem you want to talk about, just…approach me." Yamato whispered seriously. He looked at his sister's eyes and saw that she was surprised at his sudden out-of-the-blue statement. Without waiting for her answer, he stood up and went towards the door. As he touched the doorknob, he looked at her again and mumbled he was just going to get the medicine. He then opened the door and closed it after he went out of the room.

Ran blinked for a while then lied on the bed afterwards. She looked up at the ceiling and began counting the cracks. Before she reached ten, however, her thoughts shifted to something or someone she didn't want to think about.

Unconsciously, she placed a finger on her lips and traced its shape, recalling the incident that happened the other night. She blinked yet again. She was supposed to be angry at **him**, but why isn't she feeling any hatred run in her veins? She buried her face on the pillow and squashed her face on it, trying to hold back the tears trying to escape. She wasn't supposed to be teary-eyed; she had to be strong.

"In my mind I keep saying that I hate him and I despise him…" Ran mumbled. "But in my heart—" She paused. _Because you participated in it, too. _She sat up slowly and in suspense, as if searching for something.

Her attention shifted to her bandaged right knee and then to the study table (she uses this table only for arranging parties and shopping schedules) where a blood-stained handkerchief ripped in half rested. She blinked slowly, unconsciously touching the bandage on her knee.

**Flashback…**

"_Oh! Whatever happened to your knee?" the girls in the class asked when they all saw the bandage around the knee of Ran during lunch break._

"_Ah…it's nothing really. I tripped on the cement floor on my way back home last night. It really doesn't hurt much, but—" Ran paused suddenly, her attention shifting to a young man at the door of the classroom._

_It was Otohata Rei. He was in their classroom to return the notebook of a student borrowed by his teacher a while ago. As he handed the borrowed notebook to a blushing girl, Ran looked around and didn't see Aya anywhere. When she looked at Rei again, he was looking back at her._

"_It must've hurt!" Satsuki exclaimed, touching the bandage._

"_Ah!!" Ran winced. "It's still sensitive! Don't touch it!"_

"…_sorry." Satsuki whispered, drawing back her hand. "But it must've been nice if a Prince Charming found you and carried you all the way back home!" she exclaimed excitedly, the girls around her nodding in agreement._

_As they gave their opinions on who should be the prince, Ran looked back at where Rei was standing and was surprised when he was still there. She looked at him directly in the eye, touching her knee slightly._

_Rei looked back. He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them once more. He gave a lingering and meaningful look at the chougal and walked away slowly out of her view._

**End of flashback…**

The rings of the telephone distracted her from her thoughts. She heard Yamato's voice although she couldn't understand what he was saying. She sat up yet again after a minute and grabbed the bowl of porridge and the spoon beside it.

Suddenly, the door opened. Yamato was panting and at the same time putting on his jacket. "I'm sorry that I have to leave you here all by yourself. Someone called me up from the police station and told me to get to the accident site quickly. I promise I'll be back soon." He said, putting the medicine on the tray. "Just rest and take your medicine. Don't watch TV and don't use the computer, got it?"

Ran nodded dumbly as she watched Yamato run out of her room with a quick, "Bye!" She sighed as she looked at the bowl of porridge on her hands, uninterested. She put it down on the tray and lied back down on her bed. She mumbled something incoherent as she pulled the blankets up to cover her body further and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, she smelled something fragrant—like the smell of flowers. She thought she was dreaming. "Wow…that's so cool… I can smell them…" she mumbled. "But… Geez, I can't see them…" She unconsciously rolled over to the other side of the bed then after a second she felt a sudden pain on her cheek, like it was being pinched. She mumbled something incoherent in return.

"You well enough to wake up, idiot?"

Closed eyes were soon wide open as Ran stared at Rei's handsome face above hers. She shrieked loudly and leaned against the headboard, putting her hand above her chest, comically surprised. "R-REI!?" she managed to squeak.

"I thought you were dead or something." Rei just whispered, equally surprised when Ran didn't show any signs that she didn't want to see him.

"You scared the crap out of me!" The chougal exclaimed, pulling up the blankets to her chest, as if she was half naked. "What the hell are you doing here anyway?!" Her heart was beating so fast that it almost hurt.

"It appears that I'm visiting you." Rei replied simply, putting a bouquet of flowers beside Ran. The girl saw the bouquet and she instantly picked it up, smelling them.

"So this was what I smelled in my dream…" Ran whispered dreamily. She wasn't exactly a fan of flowers, but the flowers that Rei brought were beautiful nonetheless.

Rei watched her every move. "The front door was unlocked and there was nobody answering the door, so I just went here." He said.

"Mmm…" She zoned out for a moment before fully understanding that it was Rei that was visiting her. When she looked up at him and their eyes met, she quickly took her gaze away and focused it on the bouquet.

Rei just looked at her, hiding the fact that he was slightly hurt with Ran's actions. He kept quiet and waited for her to say something first.

The bleached-blonde girl played with the petals of one flower. "Thank you for visiting me…you didn't have to." She mumbled. Slowly, she tried to look up at the brunet and focused her eyes at his nose—instead of eyes. "You better go. I know Aya will worry." She forced herself to smile.

Rei's eyes narrowed. "You're really concerned about her, huh…?" He whispered so softly that Ran almost thought that he was talking to himself. His eyes narrowed further when Ran looked everywhere but him.

"Of course…I'm her friend. I should be…"

Rei lifted his right arm and reached out to grab the girl's chin, forcing it towards him, and Ran's eyes jumped back in surprise.

"Look at me when I'm talking at you." Rei said lowly.

"Rei," whispered Ran. She curled her fingers towards her palms. "I can't…" she trailed off, noticing that the handsome brunet was just staring at her.

Rei was rather startled that she had uttered his name so softly, so sweetly. He thought he had the most beautiful name in the world. "Can't what?" he whispered back, squeezing lightly, feeling the bones in Ran's jaws. "…can't talk? That's a new one on me."

"I can't hurt her." Ran finally said and she looked down again.

Silence filled the fragrant and vibrant room of the Shibuya queen.

"…I know that." Rei whispered so softly that Ran almost didn't hear him. "I know that."

Damn. He didn't have to repeat that.

Ran slowly looked up at the handsome brunet. "Aya's leaving soon. I'm trying my best to make her happy while she's here. She will be gone for a while, but for me it's going to be a long wait. I don't want her to encounter any problems whatsoever…" she said while shaking her head. She tried hard not to look away when her eyes met his. "So, maybe, we could just forget about it…?"

Rei just stared at her. He wanted to get up and leave, but he knew he would regret it. What Ran was saying was making him feel so guilty of what he did. He knew he was to blame, but didn't Ran respond back to him when he kissed her? Surely it meant that Ran was feeling something for him. Something…maybe attraction, lust, or love, perhaps…?

"And…we could—" Ran paused, noticing that Rei was acting strangely, shivering, and that he was clenching his fists so tightly. "Rei? A-are you okay? Are you cold? Do you want something warm?"

The brunet slowly lifted his hand again and this time he placed his fingers on Ran's lips to silence her. "I want you to…"

"…eh?"

"…warm me up." He drew in close and wrapped her in his arms, hugging her tightly like he didn't want to let her go anymore. He saw that Ran's eyes had widened because of surprise, but he didn't mind it. He wanted to hug her—just that. After a while, when he didn't feel any response from the girl, he drew back, and saw that the chougal had fainted.

"Ha…ha….ha…ha!"

Rei laughed at himself. He put her back on the bed as gently as he could, pulling back the thick blankets to let her cool herself. He wiped Ran's forehead that had beads of sweat with his handkerchief. He stared at her face again.

"You may not be as pretty as Aya and Miyu, but your heart is the prettiest of them all." He said lovingly as he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips. Feeling like he had stolen something very important, he drew back quickly and stood up. He needed to leave. He needed to leave before she woke up. Before getting out of the room, however, Rei looked back at Ran and saw out of the corner of his eye the torn and blood-stained handkerchief on the desk. He smiled and stepped outside the room.

Suddenly, his ketai rang and he paused to answer it. "Hello? Oh, Aya…" He looked at the wall clock in the living room. "No. I'm still in the store…. You're going to Ran's house to visit her? Okay. I'll arrive in a few minutes. See you later." He put the ketai in his pocket and stepped outside the house.

Rei looked at his bike. He needed to get something for Ran—make it look like that he wasn't the one who visited her first. He smirked to himself.

"The things you do for her… Rei, you devil."

* * *

"…_warm me up."_

Ran's eyes opened on their own. She heard some noises, preferably the voices of two to three people. When her vision cleared, she saw Aya's angelic face in front of her. "Good afternoon!" Aya greeted.

"Oh, she's awake?" Miyu asked and immediately she went over to Ran's bed. "Yuuya! Ran's finally alive again!" she exclaimed happily, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Ran smiled at her two best friends and looked over to where Miyu was looking at. She saw Yuuya looking at something that was on her study table. "Yuuya…?" she rasped.

Yuuya immediately looked at the chougal. "Ran!!" he exclaimed, running towards her. "I'm sorry if I didn't respond that quickly. I was just observing the beautiful flowers."

Ran blinked because of confusion. Why was Yuuya acting so casual with her? Wasn't he avoiding her because she had turned him down? What was going on? And what was with the flowers?

Aya clapped her hands and she giggled when she saw that Ran was gaping at the flowers. "When we came here the flowers were still in a bouquet. It will be a shame if these beautiful flowers will wilt quickly, so I transferred them to a vase. Isn't it lovely?" she asked, proud of her flower arrangement.

Ran nodded and smiled. "Thank you…" When she looked at Miyu, she saw that her friend was looking at her seriously—like she was telling something to her.

"Where did this come from, anyway? Did someone visit you earlier?" Aya probed.

Ran's eyes widened. Was she going to tell her that it was Rei who visited and gave her the flowers? "I, uh…" she stuttered. _Wait a minute! The bloodied handkerchief! _She quickly looked at the table and it was on the corner. It seemed that nobody noticed it, except—

"Oh yeah, if you're ever wondering, Yamato's just downstairs preparing some snacks. I know that you're hungry!" Miyu said, interrupting Aya and Ran from her thoughts.

Ran released a relieved sigh and she nodded quickly. "I'm so hungry I could eat a ton!" she exclaimed, wanting to look happy for her friends. She didn't have anything to worry about. Nobody paid attention at the table. They were all looking at the flower vase. _Thank God for the beautiful flowers!_

"Oh yes!" Aya exclaimed, pounding her fist on her open palm. "I bought cookies a while ago. They're chocolate chip cookies. I'm sure you would love them." She paused for a while then stared at Miyu and Yuuya. "I'll help Yamato-san with the snacks. Stay with Ran for a bit." She said and went out of the room.

When Miyu realized that it was Yamato that Aya was going to help, she instantly ran out of the room, eager to be with her boyfriend again. "Wait for me! Aya!"

Yuuya was left alone with Ran. He hated the awkwardness in the air between them. He sighed as he sat slowly and carefully at the edge of the bed. He stared at Ran's eyes that were staring at him too. "I'm sorry." He started.

Ran blinked then smiled a bit. "Why are you saying sorry? You didn't do anything wrong."

Yuuya looked down, placing his hand above her right hand. "I know that you noticed a while ago that I was tricking them." He was relieved that Ran didn't take her hand away from him.

"Tricking?"

"I talked to you casually so they won't know that something's wrong…" Yuuya squeezed her hand. "I'm really sorry that I didn't visit you earlier."

Ran grinned. "That's okay. I won't get upset over a simple thing." She assured him, patting Yuuya's hand that was on top of her other hand.

Yuuya smiled at her. "Thanks…" he whispered and averted his eyes at the flower vase. His eyes narrowed a bit.

"Yuuya? Is something wrong?" Ran asked.

"No, it's nothing." He said quickly, looking at Ran again. He knew the person who gave the bouquet of flowers. He had a gut feeling that it was **_him_**—the person who visited Ran a while ago.

The door opened suddenly. Miyu and Aya went inside the room carrying trays of food and drink. Yamato followed after them, kicking the door shut. He noticed that Yuuya and Ran took their hands away from each other and his eyebrows rose, making little wrinkles on his forehead.

"Are you feeling much better?" Yamato asked Ran despite his irritation when he saw the blonde boy holding the hand of his little sister. He put his palm on her forehead.

Ran nodded. "Yeah, I think." She grinned. "Can I eat the snacks now?"

Miyu and Aya laughed together. "When there's food, she always gets better." Aya noted and continued laughing.

"You heard it right!" Miyu said after.

"Hey! Are you two teasing me?" Ran exclaimed then went over to the table where the trays were laying. She looked around, seeing that nobody seemed to notice anything. She quickly grabbed the handkerchief and put it in her pocket. She then instantly picked up a cookie and bit on it. "Mmm! This is good! It's delicious!"

Amidst the laughter and teasing, Yuuya was still pondering about the _thing _he saw on the table, the flowers, and about **_him_**. He really couldn't explain to himself why he was so sure that it was him—a certain and special friend—that visited Ran a while ago. His best friend. His rival.

_DING-DONG!_

Aya instantly looked up from the cookie she was eating. "That must be Rei! I'll go fetch him." She said and dashed out of the room excitedly.

It seemed that Ran's heart stopped beating for she didn't breathe for some seconds. She ignored the puzzled look that Yamato gave her. Why would **_he_** come back? What if Aya finds out that he was in the same room just a while ago—that he was the one who brought those beautiful flowers? What if—

"How beautiful!!" Miyu exclaimed.

Ran blinked, her friend's sudden outburst disturbing her trail of thoughts. She glanced up from the cookie she was eating and then saw a small bouquet of flowers that Aya was currently holding.

"They are, aren't they?" Aya whispered in admiration, sighing at the bouquet. "I told Rei to get something for Ran-chan, but I didn't know he would buy such lovely flowers like the ones in the vase."

Rei suddenly showed up in the room, giving a slight nod at everyone inside. He looked at the vase that Aya was pointing at. "I shouldn't have bought the flowers if I had known that someone else already got them for you…a waste of money." He said as he looked directly at Ran who was gaping at him.

"Well then, Rei's here already, so I should probably serve dinner." Yamato said so softly as if he was talking to himself. But Miyu heard him clearly, and she was more than eager to help him prepare the food. Arm in arm, the couple left the room after telling Ran what they would do downstairs.

Four people were left in the room and there was an unbelievable awkwardness around them. Yuuya coughed meaningfully. Aya played with the petals of one flower. Ran nibbled on the unfinished cookie. Rei looked down at his shoes.

"Um…" Aya whispered uneasily, confused at the awkwardness building up inside the room. She didn't know what was going on—perhaps she would have to ask Rei later what happened—and she didn't like it a bit. "I just…"

"Whoa, look at the time." Yuuya suddenly said, surprising the two girls. Rei barely looked up at him. "I promised my mom that I'll help her with her cooking because she's got some visitors. I've forgotten all about it." He whispered, laughing at himself.

"You're leaving already? Well, you can just eat and then leave quickly!" Ran said, despite the uneasiness between them.

Yuuya shook his head with a smile. "I'm so sorry, but I can't stay here any longer. I have to go already, or mom will think I've been abducted by aliens." He said lightheartedly and he smiled when he heard the two girls laughing. "I'll see you in school tomorrow, Aya. You too, Rei."

Aya nodded excitedly and Rei looked at him with a soft, "Sure."

"I'll walk you outside." Ran proposed, grabbing Yuuya's arm and pulling him outside the room. After some seconds of struggling, they were gone.

Aya turned around to look at her handsome boyfriend. "Is something wrong, Rei? Are you sick?" she asked worriedly, walking up to him. She lifted her hand to feel his warmth on his forehead, but he moved his head away. She looked up at him in confusion and a bit of sadness.

"It's nothing." Rei whispered, looking away the instant that their eyes met. He walked towards the terrace of the room and glanced outside, particularly below. He saw Ran and Yuuya talking about something that he can clearly hear.

"I'm really sorry that I didn't stay long." Yuuya whispered, scratching the back of his head.

"It's nothing to worry about. I'm just glad that you went all the way here just to visit me. But no need to worry, because I'm fine already." Ran said cheerfully, putting her hand on top of his shoulder. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah." Yuuya nodded, smiling. Without thinking, he pressed his lips on Ran's right cheek and drew back quickly. He watched as the large eyes grew larger; her mouth left slightly hanging open. "I told you that I won't give up, didn't I?"

Ran didn't say anything. She couldn't say anything. She was speechless—and so was the spectator above them.

Yuuya's eyes softened. "I… I'll see you tomorrow. Take care." He whispered and hurriedly ran away, turning swiftly at the corner of the street so that he wasn't visible anymore.

Rei's fist clenched and unclenched. There was something burning inside him. It felt uncomfortable and it made him think of lots of things that weren't really appropriate. Was that what the girls call 'jealousy'?

Ha, jealousy is for insecure people—and he didn't have the right to be jealous because he didn't have any commitment to Ran. Was that how it was supposed to be? He never felt that feeling before—not even the slightest when Aya talks with another guy who obviously shows interest in her.

What was wrong with him?

"What are you looking at, Rei?" Aya asked suddenly from behind, surprising him. Sensing that she won't get a reply from the brunet, she walked towards the terrace and leaned forward, following Rei's gaze. Her eyes landed on a whiff of bleached-blonde hair that disappeared suddenly when she blinked. "Who was that?" she asked, even though she had a feeling that it was Ran he was looking at somehow.

"No one." Rei whispered, who was now looking at the houses in the neighborhood. There were many trees beside those houses and those creations of nature gave the breeze a fresh feeling. He breathed in deeply before he opened his mouth to say something. "I have something to—"

"What are you two doing outside? Are you making out? It's time for dinner, you idiots!" Ran exclaimed, obviously joking. She grinned broadly when she saw the desired reaction—Aya's "super blush" (wherein her face and neck are red). She didn't expect, however, a reaction from the certain stoic brunet youth.

"Ran-chan!" Aya squeaked. She giggled and bowed her head because of embarrassment. Hurriedly, she went outside the room and went downstairs.

Rei stared at Ran. She was good at hiding her emotions under a cheerful mask. He frowned a bit when he saw Ran doing the same. "I guess you want to tell me something."

Ran blinked. How did he know that? "Thank you for the flowers. I truly appreciate them." She paused for a while to rub her elbows. She cleared her throat before continuing. "…and thanks for lying about…you know…well, not exactly a lie, but…you came here again just to let them know that you haven't been here." She whispered meekly. "Thank you, really."

"I did it because you didn't want Aya to know that I visited you—else she'll be jealous. Isn't that right?" Rei asked.

Ran looked at the handsome brunet. "She will not be jealous. I just didn't want to stir something up." She said. "Just…don't cause any disappointment or hurt to Aya when she's s excited and hopeful of her trip."

Rei walked towards the door and placed his hand on the doorknob. "Then what will you do **_after_** Aya's gone?" he asked so softly that it was almost inaudible. "I won't stay for dinner. I'll go on ahead to the store to get something that I forgot. I'll see you in school tomorrow."

Ran blinked again. "Um…okay. Take care of yourself…" she whispered. She was glad that Rei didn't give her the time to answer his question. She didn't know what or how to answer him. It was puzzling…and strange.

"You too." Rei said with a nod and proceeded downstairs. There were a few questions asked but after some minutes it became quiet again downstairs, followed by a faint sound of engine running.

The bleached-blonde chougal sighed and landed flat on her bed. She stared at the cracks of the ceiling. "Just what will happen…after Aya's gone?" she whispered to herself. She turned her head to her right and saw the beautiful flowers in the vase. She also looked at the equally beautiful ones in a bouquet that was lying on her study table.

"Ran! Dinner's served!" Miyu exclaimed from downstairs.

"I'll be there in a minute!" Ran said, sighing again after. She sat up slowly on the edge of the bed and looked at the spot where Rei and Aya stood a while ago.

"Just what will happen…" she breathed. "…with Otohata Rei…?"

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Author's notes:** Hello again! I'm glad that you finished the chapter! I know that it's short, but I thought that it would be good that I will end it with Ran saying, "Just what will happen?" I'm sure you'll like the next chapter, because Aya's _finally_ leaving (but only for a short while) and that means something will happen between the two! Hehehe…I like suspense! I love 'em!!

Again, Happy New Year to all, and I hope we will all improve!! Don't commit the seven sins!!

_Arigatou Gozaimasu!_

Koharu-chan


	7. Of Oolong Teas, Speculations, and Tears

**Please read the NOTICE below.**

**Author's notes: **Whoa… I am SO surprised! I didn't expect that this story about ReiXRan would have more than 30 reviews! Honestly! I wasn't expecting the reviews to rise up to a hundred! I am so pleased… It means that there are a lot more _**starved**_ ReiXRan fans out there than I think there is… I bet you fans are going to kill me if I suddenly changed this fic to a ReiXAya one! Mwahaha! Hmm…maybe I could do it that way—we'll never know. I don't even know myself anymore, so I can't really say. Hmm…would this fic have a happy—or sad ending? Would a main character…_**DIE?**_ Nyahahaha!! I would just love to see your surprised faces. Isn't it better that way, with the suspense and such? Haha…I'm taking this way too seriously—better get to the story!! Oh yeah, **COFFEE BUNS ROCK!!!! **Um, yeah, they do!!

**Notice: **This chapter mostly shows the relationship between Yuuya and Ran—they're not exactly a couple, but they have this sort of "more than friends" but "less than lovers" thing going on. I don't know if you readers would like it, but their relationship is important to the story and also for enhancing the ReiXRan one. I hope you'll understand if this chapter LACKS something! Also, this has a lot of drama, especially in the end. It would be much sadder if you have sad background music playing while you read the part during or after Aya's departure (I played "_**Koi no katachi, Ai no katachi**__" _from Honey and Clover). With that and all, I hope you get your tissues ready!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Chou_ GALS! Kotobuki Ran! But I'm proud to say that I own a perfume that smells of marshmallows!! All the people that can smell me say, "I want to eat you!"

(**Warning:** Profanity, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, light lemon, OOC-ness and others may be present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and watching GALS! again isn't necessary.**__**The story plot is mine and don't steal it, goofball!**_

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* * *

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**Previously…**

* * *

_The bleached-blonde chougal sighed and landed flat on her bed. She stared at the cracks of the ceiling. "Just what will happen…after Aya's gone?" she whispered to herself. She turned her head to her right and saw the beautiful flowers in the vase. She also looked at the equally beautiful ones in a bouquet that was lying on her study table._

"_I'll be there in a minute!" Ran said, sighing again after. She sat up slowly on the edge of the bed and looked at the spot where Rei and Aya stood a while ago._

"_Just what will happen…" she breathed. "…with Otohata Rei…?"_

* * *

**Give Me A Chance,** **Chapter 7: Of Oolong Teas, Speculations, and Hot Tears**

* * *

It was almost nighttime. The city was filled with many people—young and old alike. Shops were brightly lit, restaurants were filled, and arcades were crowded. The scene appealed to many high school teenagers and in their eyes it meant that Friday night was their nirvana.

But in the eyes of a certain Otohata Rei, the scene was not even close to being _attractive_. Heck, it was nowhere near paradise! The streets were filled with noisy guys and squealing girls—and if he wasn't young he would've died from high blood pressure by now.

The handsome brunet drank the last drop of the canned Oolong tea as he rested on the flight of stairs leading to the other side of the street. Many people passed by him and he noticed how many of the girls squeal and quiver when their eyes meet his. It was good enough that the people didn't _attack_ him like the people do during daytime. He didn't need that sort of problem right now.

"Look! It's _the_ Otohata Rei!!" some girls whispered to one another.

"Oh! Look at him! He's more handsome than before!" some squeaked.

Rei ignored them. He suddenly remembered the time when he and Ran haven't met before. He saw the bleached-blonde for the very first time in the same spot where he was right now. She was well-known in Shibuya—and so was he. While many girls and photographers surrounded him, it was only Ran who didn't give a _damn_ about the guy (back then she only cared about his bag). _So she isn't one of them, huh…? _This sparked Rei's interest then.

"_You never fail to amaze me again and again, huh, Rei?" Yuuya wondered as he wiped the trail of sweat from his face. He grinned when he saw the still-stoic face of his handsome friend, Otohata Rei._

"_What'd I do now?" Rei asked without even looking at his equally-handsome blonde friend. "Those girls and reporters are so annoying. I wish I never studied in that school—so I can't participate in that silly contest."_

_Yuuya flared up instantly. "You don't know what this means to other guys! It means more girls, girls, and girls!! Don't tell me you don't like 'em!" he exclaimed._

"_It's not that I don't like them. I don't have enough money for them." Rei muttered and stood up. The streets were clear now, and the few people who passed him by whispered to each other and giggled. He frowned._

"_Well, you don't have to have money to have girls, weirdo." Yuuya muttered under his breath and prepared to start his motorbike._

_Suddenly, many guys ran by Rei. The brunet was startled and wondered why they were frantically running for their lives. He looked at the direction where the guys had come from, and suddenly he saw a bleached-blond girl wearing really high heels walking towards him. He frowned again—certainly this girl was like the others. Soon, she'll be ogling him with curled eyelashes and trying to touch him with her well-manicured fingers._

_But instead, the girl barely looked up at him and continued on walking, murmuring something like, "I'm going to get those stupid guys!" Two other girls followed the bleached-blonde, and these two girls stared at him knowingly._

"_Oi, Rei! Time to go!" Yuuya shouted._

_Rei looked at the bleached-blonde girl once again before riding on his motorbike and driving away, still confused._

Again. It was Ran again who filled his thoughts.

Why couldn't he think of anything or anyone else? He smiled bitterly. Ran was poisoning his mind—or he was just crazy.

_Then what will you do _**after**_ Aya's gone?_

Even he had been surprised when he asked that question. It seemed to him that he was going to do something after Aya's departure. It must've been frightening for Ran to hear that from him. But if it was meant to be, what could he do? What if something was destined to happen between them? The two of them couldn't do anything about it.

"This is so troublesome…" Rei whispered to himself. He stood up and dusted off imaginary dust from his pants. He grabbed the empty can and threw it to the garbage bin. He started the engine of his motorbike and just before putting on his helmet, he saw at the corner of his eye a whiff of blonde hair. He turned around swiftly and saw Tatsuki walking by the shops. His eyes narrowed and he turned off the engine of the motorbike.

"Oi, Tatsuki!"

* * *

"Ah…ah!"

It was supposed to be like a dreamlike situation wherein gratification is present. It wasn't supposed to be mixed with any other feelings other than physical pain and pleasure. It was, unfortunately, becoming unpleasant every minute.

"Ah… Yamato… Nnnn…!" Miyu cried, her whole body shivering.

After a while when they were finished, Miyu and Yamato rested on the bed, panting heavily. They looked at each other for a minute before a small smile appeared on the face of Miyu while Yamato didn't know whether he should smile back or frown.

"You seem…distracted, Miyu." He whispered.

Miyu looked up at the sweaty face of Yamato, a little surprised at what her boyfriend said. She gave him a wider grin and touched her boyfriend's cheek. "I'm not…distracted." she whispered back.

Yamato looked disappointed, but didn't push further. He lay beside her and looked at her. They just looked at each other for sometime until Yamato noticed Miyu looking so dazed at him.

"Yamato darling…" Miyu whispered softly, curling up comfortably on the bed.

"Hmm…"

Miyu stopped the urge to roll her eyes. Although he had sounded uninterested, she knew that he was listening. She could read his actions perfectly, which thrilled the young blonde. To be close to him, to know how he felt, to know how he _thinks_… It was a pleasure that she could not even begin to describe.

"Ran's acting weird…" Miyu murmured, her arms tightening around the brunet boy as she felt him flinch. When it came to his little sister, Yamato was always concerned. Although he didn't show it, it was evident in his body's actions.

"She's always weird…" came the forced reply.

Miyu pulled him to another fierce lip-lock before starting to speak. He was too wonderful. "Well…she looks sadder than usual…" she said and placed her arm around her boyfriend.

"…maybe she's just dealing with her low grades or something…"

"No! That's not usually her problem…" Miyu whispered as she sat up. Now there was a mystery. What made her usually sunny, bouncy, and bubbly friend sad? A certain thought came in her mind, but she hesitated to voice it out.

Yamato noticed a slight fear displayed in Miyu's face. He pulled her down to him to give her a hug and he kissed her forehead gently. She was everything to him—and he couldn't stand seeing the looking on Miyu's face…like she was about to cry so hard… What was happening to Ran—that was making his Miyu like this?

"I…I know I shouldn't be gossiping, but…" Miyu hesitated as she rested her head upon Yamato's tanned chest. "Remember the night before when I tried to go to the police station…and you told me not to come…?" she paused for a moment. Should she really tell Ran's brother what _happened_ then? She gazed guiltily at her hands… Should she even be gossiping? But…she really needed to get this off her mind. Anyway, it's not like she could ever resist telling Yamato anything and everything about everything…

"I remember. What happened?"

"I passed by a neighborhood near yours…and ran into Rei and Ran…" Miyu continued, her voice betraying a twinge of worry. _Should I really tell him about this…?_ She remembered suddenly the face of Ran. She looked so scared…so _confused_…

Yamato shifted a bit. So Ran was with the guy named Rei—the guy that Ran seemed to be talking about always other than fashion or food. He remembered the last time when he talked to Ran a few days ago and the way her eyes _softened_ when she uttered the words, '_helpless, idiotic boy_'. His eyes met Miyu's worried ones.

"Rei was with her…?"

Miyu nodded gravely.

Yamato sighed. He recalled the time when he and Miyu were talking about something until the topic shifted between Ran and Rei.

**Flashback…**

"_I wonder why Rei and Ran always seem to hate each other…" Yamato whispered._

_Miyu giggled. "If only Aya wasn't Rei's girlfriend, I think he'd go for your sister!"_

_Yamato frowned. "Well, if he liked Ran so much, he wouldn't stay with Aya for long!" he said, uncomfortable about the topic._

_Miyu tilted her head to one side. "Well, what if Rei really likes Ran—but is just too scared to hurt Aya…? That would be a problem…"_

"_He doesn't like my sister! Do you have any evidences?"_

_Miyu laughed. "Evidences? You're really a policeman, Yamato! Who needs evidences? Just look at them! Look at the way they stare at each other—the way one always needs to get the attention of the other! It's really quite amusing. I'm just sorry for Aya if my 'theory' about the two is correct." She said._

"_Well then why did Rei ask Aya out in the first place?"_

"_Maybe he just wants to give it a try?"_

"_Not good enough."_

"_I don't need your opinion. I just know that the two of them, Rei and Ran, likes each other even if they don't want to admit it. If they come to their senses, I'm sure there would a lot of surprising changes, good or bad." Miyu murmured._

"_I just hope those changes don't affect us." Yamato whispered back._

_Miyu smiled. "I hope so too…"_

**End of Flashback…**

Miyu seemed to know what Yamato was thinking. She snuggled as close to Yamato as possible. She was already shaking. "I… I…"

Yamato suddenly felt wetness upon his chest. He looked down and saw Miyu crying. He tried to sit up, but Miyu wouldn't let him. "Miyu… What's—"

"I… I saw them kissing then…"

Yamato's eyes widened out of surprised.

_What the…fuck?_

* * *

"It's…really weird. It really _feels_ weird! You're planning something, huh?" a certain energetic, food-sniffing blonde guy exclaimed as he shifted uncomfortably on his seat in a well-known diner. He pointed out at Rei whose eyebrows twitched. "It's very rare for you to approach me first—let alone treat me to a diner!! But to tell you the truth, I don't care if these foods have poison! I'm hungry!" he again exclaimed before devouring the food in front of him with weird noises.

Rei sighed when he saw many people looking at them. _How did Ran stand this kind of guy?_ "I only did this because I want some information from you." He muttered. _Why would I waste my time poisoning you—when I can just kill you directly?_

Tatsuki was in the middle of slurping the noodles when he stopped to look at the handsome brunet. "Information?" he asked, slurping some more. When he drank water, he pounded his fist over his chest, as if he was choking. "Information about what?" he asked, breathing deeply.

The brunet tilted his head to one side. "I'd like to know why you and Kotobuki broke up." He whispered. "I'm not butting into other people's business. It's just that Aya is really troubled about all these stuff and it bothers me." He continued, looking away. He always used Aya for his lies—he was really cruel. "Trust me; I'm not going to tell anybody."

Tatsuki's left eyebrow rose up. "Well… First of all, I want to say that you're really acting weird." He sighed. "Secondly, didn't Ran tell you why we decided to split up?"

_We agreed on everything…we were the same. We didn't have the chance to get to know more about each other._

"I think that what she told me isn't all there is. There's something…wrong going on." Rei whispered. He looked at Tatsuki directly in the eyes. "Many guys want to possess Kotobuki Ran of Shibuya—and it's unlikely that you would want to break your relationship off because of something as silly as not having to 'get to know more about each other'."

Tatsuki lowered his head, his eyes avoiding Rei's. "What she said to you was partly true…but I didn't tell her the whole truth." He murmured.

"Whole truth?" Rei repeated.

The energetic blonde became stiff suddenly. He closed his eyes as he clenched his fists tightly. "Yes. I figured that she doesn't know it yet too."

"What is it?" Rei asked, curiosity burning in his veins. "Tell me!"

Tatsuki looked at the brunet. "You promise not to tell anybody?" he asked, unsure if he should tell Rei the information about Ran.

Rei gritted his teeth. _What's with the childish behavior? _He breathed deeply. "I promise." he said impatiently.

Tatsuki smiled a little before frowning again. "She…she's in love with somebody else!!" he exclaimed.

Rei's eyes widened. "…_what_?" he asked, as if not believing Tatsuki.

"She's in love with somebody else…I can tell." Tatsuki's voice became soft. He looked at Rei suddenly. "I'm still not sure who it is, but…I can tell that it's a guy who's very close to us." He muttered as he stared at Rei grudgingly.

The brunet youth stared back at Tatsuki. _Why is he staring at me like that…?_

"I still love her…but the thought that she loves somebody else is killing me!" Tatsuki said as he wiped the corner of mouth with a tissue paper. "I deserve a mutual relationship—not a one-sided love! Besides, I'm happy if she's happy." He stood up and straightened out his jacket. "It's getting late. I have to go back to the studio."

"Wait." Rei said as he stood up too. "In case you didn't know, Ran's sick. You can visit her, if you want."

"Oh, I already visited her—yesterday, actually. I brought her brownies and she didn't leave any for me." He recalled as he laughed. "She's still adorable. I kind of miss her. But it's over now." He again looked at Rei. "We're just friends now."

Rei kept quiet. He didn't know what to say to him.

"Oh yeah! I heard that you'll hold a surprise birthday party for Aya-chan! Count me in, 'cause I'm really broke and I want food!" Tatsuki exclaimed.

"Idiot." Rei muttered.

Tatsuki looked at Rei seriously and then a sly smile formed upon his lips. "Hmm… It's too bad that I can't see her in her departure because I'm going to be in Hokkaido… I wonder what you would look like when you miss Aya-chan… She's such a great baker!!! I'll miss her too!!" he cried.

"You'll just miss her cookies." The brunet mumbled.

"Probably!" Tatsuki took Rei's hand and shook it vigorously. "Thanks for the food, pal. When I get my salary I'll be the one who will treat you to a fancy restaurant. Thanks a lot." He said sincerely and walked away out of the diner after he showed Rei his famous smile.

Rei looked at his hand and clenched it. "The way Tatsuki looked at me as he told me Ran loves somebody else…it's bothering me…" he whispered to himself. Suddenly, a thought entered in his mind.

_Could it be…?_

The handsome youth looked out of the window from the diner and then at the clock that hung on the wall.

"It _**is**_ getting late…"

* * *

Yamato was left speechless—Ran and Rei—kissing? But why would they…? Didn't Rei have Aya as his _girlfriend_? Yamato was really confused. But he didn't mind himself—he minded about his girlfriend. His hands rubbed small comforting circles on Miyu's bare back. He didn't know what to say to her to make her stop crying. Some boyfriend he is…

"Am…" Miyu started as she lifted her face off Yamato's chest a bit to look at him straight in the eyes. She remembered her other best friend, Aya. She didn't want her best friend to get hurt. Aya's too vulnerable and fragile…if she learns about this—

"M-Miyu…"

"Am I meant to tell Aya…?" she asked as she faced her lover. Images of Aya flashed in her mind. Aya shocked, angry, upset… Aya crying—tears running down her face—unable to stop…

The last image was the most heartbreaking one of all.

Yamato's heart almost broke when he saw the dreadful expression on her face. "Let's not be so hasty…" he whispered as he pulled Miyu up for him to kiss her. "We still don't know the reason behind this…and telling this Aya will make her lose the opportunity of becoming a famous novelist."

"I know, but…" she sobbed. "She has to know! But then…I don't want to see Ran get hurt, too…" More tears streamed down Miyu's gorgeous face, the blonde hiccupping.

Yamato instinctively held her closer, planting a soft, feathery kiss upon her forehead. She looked so vulnerable—she must really love her two friends, to be worrying so much about them and even crying for them…

The brunet suddenly felt a pang of jealously. _I wonder if she'd ever cry for me like this… _Realizing he was being distracted by his emotions, he shook his head and cleared his mind as the blonde girl's head rested limply against his chest.

The couple lay in this position for what seemed like an eternity, the blonde seeking comfort within the warm embrace her lover more than willingly provided. Neither spoke – it wasn't required. She sought comfort in the fact that he was there for her, and he sought comfort in her presence, and the knowledge that she came to him for consolation.

"Yamato…" Miyu whispered when she calmed down, eyes half closed. Yamato didn't say anything—he just brushed away a stray hair from the blonde's pale face.

"I… I'm so glad we don't have problems like that…" she continued, hearing Yamato's heartbeat from his chest.

Miyu listened to the peaceful soft breathing from him and this resulted to a peaceful sigh from her. But then, she suddenly felt the urgency to let her boyfriend know just how much she cared for him. Seeing everyone else's problems made her realize how lucky she was, how blessed she was to have met him, to be sharing her life with him this way…

"I…" she hesitated, finding the right words to say.

He was so perfect.

"I love you…"

Miyu felt so relieved. Yes, she had said those words to him a billion of times—but saying the words this time…it felt so perfect, so natural, and so _real._ She didn't care if Yamato didn't love her back. After all, she didn't love to be loved back. She was just happy that she finally had the courage to tell him how she _really _felt inside. It was like a burden that was eased from her shoulders.

She sighed and hugged him tighter.

…at least she won't regret anything.

"I love you too..." came the quiet response, five minutes later. His reply was soft and gentle, sending a flood of warmth through the blonde haired girl. His voice had wavered a little, which brought out the sincerity of his words—and the way he had said it…

She smiled.

She knew he meant it.

* * *

"Hey!!!! Ran-chan's here!!" All of the girls in the class squealed excitedly, some jumping for joy. They looked out of the window, watching the _chougal_ run for the gate that was about to close. After a few days of absence of the Shibuya queen, the girls couldn't help but get really excited for her return.

Aya looked out too. "Oh! She's finally well!" she whispered happily. She looked around and saw Miyu sitting on her desk, looking at the blackboard. "Miyu-chan? Is something wrong?" she asked.

Miyu looked at her beautiful brunette friend slowly and suddenly she recalled her conversation with Yamato. She felt tears in her eyes threatening to spill. "Um… I just…"

Aya blinked. "M-Miyu-chan! Are you crying…?" she wondered in concern. She instantly massaged her friend's back, worried.

The girls in the class noticed what was going on with Miyu. They crowded up around Aya and Miyu and asked for Miyu to tell them what the problem is. Even the boys in the class couldn't help listening to the girls' conversations.

Abruptly, the classroom door opened with a loud noise, earning all stares of her classmates. Ran was panting for breath and she couldn't wait to get to her seat—but then she saw the crowd of girls. "What's going on?" she asked happily as she walked inside the classroom, thinking that the girls have some juicy rumors to discuss about. She put her bag on her desk and walked towards the circle of girls eagerly. "Do you have something good for me to hear while I was away?"

"Miyu's crying, Ran-chan!" Satsuki exclaimed quite frantically.

Ran blinked. "Miyu?" she whispered and instantly went through the girls. She then saw her blonde friend hiccup in the arms of Aya. "What happened? Did someone hurt her?" she asked. _If it was Yamato, I'll—_

Aya shook her head and shrugged. "Miyu… Why are you crying? Please tell us…" she pleaded.

Miyu whimpered more. All the coaxing Aya and Ran gave her was too much. She remembered her talk with Yamato and the dilemma between her two friends. Would she help Aya or support Ran? Would she just stand by and watch as her two friends get hurt miserably?

"Miyu! Tell us what happened!" Ran whispered firmly.

The blonde wiped her tears quickly when she heard the command of Ran. She knew that Ran hated seeing her friends crying and she knew it was her fault giving Ran a problem. "I… I just figured how I'm going to miss Aya a lot… One month's a long time…!" Miyu whispered weakly, her body shivering. She hated lying, but she couldn't tell them the real reason why she was crying.

Ran blinked for some seconds before smiling warmly as she patted Miyu's head.

All the girls who heard what Miyu said began crying too. "We're also going to miss Aya!!!" they exclaimed, hugging each other.

Aya smiled at the girls with tears on her eyes. "Relax, girls… It's just a month or two!" she murmured, pleased with the concern the girls were giving her. She looked up at Ran and smiled more widely. "But I'm going to miss you all more than you miss me."

"Silly." Ran whispered and smiled back. She sat on the desk of her classmate that was near Aya's. "You said that your departure would be after your birthday, right?"

Aya nodded, unsure why Ran was asking her that all of a sudden.

"We should celebrate and not grieve!! Let's go to my place and we'll watch some old movies while eating popcorn and other foods, like we all used to do before going someplace else for summer." Ran proclaimed proudly but carefully not revealing to Aya that there was a big party waiting for her in her place.

"That…would be really nice." Aya beamed delightfully before looking at Miyu again. "Come on, Miyu-chan, don't weep so! I promise to write you letters and email you, if that's what you want." She assured.

Miyu smiled back at her then at Ran who was smiling at her too. _If only you knew…_ She went back to her seat when she heard the bell ringing. She watched as her classmates did the same.

The teacher went inside the classroom and the classroom president led the class in the greeting. "Bow!" All the students bowed simultaneously. "Sit!"

"Sit down, please." A female teacher said. When all the students were on their seats, she looked around the classroom and saw the famous Kotobuki Ran munching on a cookie. "Ah, it's good to see you again, Kotobuki-san." She whispered with a drip of sarcasm.

"Yeah, I know, you missed me." Ran replied, still munching on the cookie that looked to be oatmeal—and Aya's. This earned laughs from the students, but the raising of the eyebrows of the teacher kept them quiet.

The female teacher coughed meaningfully before looking at Aya with a pleased smile. "Ah, Hoshino-san. I heard that you were going to London to meet up with your publisher. Is it true?" she asked.

Aya stood up and nodded. "_Hai_!"

"I am so proud to have a student like you in my class. I hope your novel becomes successful and you have a safe trip, okay? Please sit down."

The dark-haired beauty blushed and bowed politely. "Thank you very much for your concern." She whispered sincerely and sat back down on her seat.

The female teacher smiled admiringly at her bright student. She looked at Ran and said, "You ought to be like your good friend, Kotobuki-san!"

Ran stretched her legs on her desk. "I know I'm not as good Aya in such things, but I know I'm better in others." She said in boredom.

The female teacher was red in irritation when she saw the slender legs of the _chougal_ on the desk. "Why, what's with the manners—" she paused. There was a sudden knock on the door. "Come in."

The classroom door opened and all the girls couldn't help but stare at the handsome visitor. Aya blinked and smiled meaningfully at Ran who was looking at the visitor as well while putting down her legs. She turned to Miyu and the blonde looked back at her, like she was saying something.

"I'm sorry for the interruption—but my teacher needs to talk with Kotobuki-san." the visitor said, who appeared to be Yuuya. Next in line with Rei, he was voted as the 1st runner up in the contest in their old school. Many girls favored the blond over Rei because he has girlish features that make him really cute—also because he was friendlier than the brunet one.

Ran blinked and pointed at herself. "Me?" she asked.

The female teacher rolled her eyes. "Well, who else has a last name of "Kotobuki", hmm?" she muttered. That was followed by laughter from the class.

Ran stood up while mumbling, "It's a good excuse to skip this class anyway." She went towards Yuuya and the blond smiled at her after he closed the classroom door. She recalled the other day when Yuuya kissed her—and with this memory she couldn't help but redden a little.

"You're red." Yuuya noted, looking anywhere but Ran. They started to walk towards his classroom.

Ran clenched her fists as her face became hot. "What does your teacher need me for?" she asked smoothly, changing the topic. It would become _disastrous_ if Yuuya finds out the reason why she's blushing! _It really is no big deal, isn't it? Why am I concerned over such little thing?_

Yuuya shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." He said. "Probably about school work—or about the school festival." He continued.

"Oh…"

Only footsteps were heard in the quiet hallways. The two blonds (one was bleached-blonde) went upstairs with awkwardness.

"Aya's leaving soon, huh?" Yuuya asked suddenly, surprising the _chougal_.

Ran saw Yuuya's classroom that was stone's throw. "Yes, she is, sadly." She whispered and sighed after. "Oh yes!" she exclaimed suddenly, this time surprising Yuuya. "You know that we're having a big surprise party for Aya in my place, right? I think I'll need your help for setting up the place." She beamed, forgetting the awkwardness between them.

"No problem!" Yuuya exclaimed, his cheerfulness coming back to him. "I'll invite my friends to help too, if you want! We'll bring all kinds of fun stuff and foods!" He was a fan of surprises, and certainly he won't miss this one!

"Uwaaaah! Bring over some 'booze', then—then some more booze!! Then there would be endless sweet treats for everyone! That would really make Aya happy!" Ran said excitedly with a really big smile.

"Yeah! It would! We'll really surprise her this time and she'll cry in happiness!" Yuuya replied with a grin.

Ran excitedly took Yuuya's hands and shook them vigorously. "Thanks! This means a lot to me!" she cried.

"Like I said, no problem!" he said. "Oh! I can't wait for the big day!!" Yuuya exclaimed, his fist on the air. Ran laughed at him and he laughed with her. When the cheers were finished, they both smiled at each other.

"Thank you really, Yuuya…" Ran whispered, followed by a warm smile. She was sincere—she didn't only thank him for the help he was going to provide her, but to all the things he's done for her like making her happy…and his affection towards her. She didn't exactly know where all his affection for her came from, but it was certainly a big honor for her to have it.

Yuuya seemed to have a shock for he didn't say anything. He blinked a few times, as if not believing that Ran was thanking him sincerely. Finally, he sighed in glee. "Thank you too…for giving me a chance." He murmured, smiling back.

The two stared at each other for a while, appreciating the calming and pleasant ambiance surrounding them. But then, the atmosphere was ruined when the door of the classroom of Yuuya opened suddenly with a noise.

"Go find that Yuuya and I'll punish him for loitering around and not calling Kotobuki!" the teacher inside yelled to a student. His voice was clearly heard in the wide hallway where Ran and Yuuya were.

"I guess you're in trouble." Ran said, trying her best not to laugh at him.

Yuuya scratched the back of his head. "Well…it's the second time I didn't report in his class right away." He explained, laughing at himself. He stopped laughing when he heard footsteps coming out from the classroom.

The student that was yelled at by the teacher came out of the classroom. Coincidentally, it was no other than Rei. He frowned because of the loud voice of the teacher. When he saw the two blonds together looking at him, he frowned more. "Oh, here you are." He was expressionless, as if talking to himself. "What took you so long?"

"Oh…Ran and I just had a nice chat." Yuuya said and winked at Ran. He ran over to Rei suddenly. "Sorry if you got yelled at by _sensei_! I'll tell him that Ran's already here." He said and he opened the classroom door.

"Nice chat?" Rei repeated, looking at Ran.

Ran looked back at the brunet. "It's about the surprise party…for Aya." She said softly and walked towards the classroom. When she was already side to side with Rei, she stopped to look at him straight in the way. "You better spend most of your time with her now." She whispered.

"I will." Rei replied and smirked knowingly. He still cared for Aya and he wasn't as heartless as to giving her real grief before she goes away. He was at least sensitive to other's feelings—just for now.

Ran blinked in confusion and decided to not say anything. She then proceeded to go inside the classroom, ignoring the brunet. Cat calls and whistles were suddenly heard from the male students as she entered to talk to the teacher.

Rei watched Ran and smirked to himself. "You still haven't changed." He muttered before closing the door shut.

* * *

"Departure for London is 30 minutes away. All passengers should gather their things and proceed inside the airplane. I repeat, the departure…"

Tears formed in Aya's eyes as she hugged her friends one by one. They were in the airport where big groups of people appeared. "Guys, I'm really thankful and happy for giving me the best birthday party ever! I really…I really…would miss you!" she exclaimed and hugged both Ran and Miyu.

Ran couldn't help but get teary when Aya hugged her. She was going to miss her best friend and her cookies for sure! "Be sure to email us—or I won't forgive you!" she said and wiped her eyes with her arm.

"Yes, and be sure to tell us about the people you meet there, especially if it's a really hot guy!" Miyu exclaimed and all laughed when Aya blushed as Yamato coughed meaningfully.

"Miyu, you shouldn't say that! Aya-chan still has Otohata-kun, remember? He'll mind it for sure!" Satsuki whispered and smiled happily.

Aya giggled. She looked at Rei who just stared at her. _Oh, my… Is he jealous already?_ She smiled wider and walked towards him. She suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. By now, tears streamed down freely on her cheeks. "I…I certainly am going to miss you, Rei…!" she whimpered.

Rei closed his eyes. She was crying like before when he found her by the fountain. He lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, earning surprised gasps from everyone—including Ran. "Be sure to take care of yourself." He whispered and sighed. "Meet and be friends with many people so you would avoid thinking about us all the time. Be sure to befriend nice guys too, I won't mind."

Aya gasped and blushed more. She couldn't believe Rei was talking to her like this! It was the first time! She hugged him tighter and planted a chaste kiss on his lips, murmuring, "I love you…so much." Rei didn't seem to mind that Aya was kissing him in public. She was going away soon, anyway. He wrapped his arms around her.

Ran looked away immediately. _You better spend most of your time with her now. _She made her own grave—she had to endure the pangs of pain. Tears threatened to spill in her eyes again. She was lucky that no one was watching her or seeing her like this. She made a quick swipe on her face with the back of hand. _A chougal doesn't cry in public!_

But the bleached-blonde girl was wrong. Both Yuuya and Miyu were watching her secretly and they both looked away when the _chougal_ wiped her tears away. It was a heartbreaking scene—and it hurt them as well.

"B-break it up, you two! I'm jealous!" Yuuya exclaimed in urgency and laughed. He knew that Ran acted like that because of the scene in front of them. _Well…she's in love with Rei, like she told me._ He secretly glared at his best friend. _Damn you Otohata Rei for being so unfeeling!_ "Aya, you'll miss your flight." He continued.

"Oh…oh yeah! I almost forgot!" Aya exclaimed and blushed harder. She immediately walked away from her handsome boyfriend and gathered up her things. "Again, thank you for all the things you've done for me, guys! I swear I'm not going to forget writing you in email!" she said and turned back to Rei. "I love you, Rei. Goodbye…"

Rei nodded and watched as the black-haired girl proceeded to go inside the airplane.

"Goodbye Aya!!! Don't forget us! And when you return be sure to have some delicious treat for us all!!" Ran shouted, earning laughs and embarrassed looks from her friends.

Aya looked back and smiled back at Ran. "I promise! Bye guys! I'll see you soon!!" she exclaimed. After that, she disappeared from their sights. Rei also disappeared suddenly. The group was filled with sadness when they realized that Aya wouldn't be back so soon. Together, they walked out from the airport looking really depressed.

"Ah, Ran! We'll all go to the police station…are you coming?" Miyu asked as Satsuki, Yuuya, and Yamato walked towards her.

Ran shook her head. "No… I'm going home. I'm really tired." She said.

"Well then, just rest well! See you!" Miyu said with a forced smile and Satsuki followed her with a wink.

"Be sure to lock the doors before you sleep." Yamato said.

Ran nodded tiredly.

"We'll see you around, Ran. Sleep well." Yuuya whispered with a smile and ran up to the group to talk with them.

Ran watched as the group walked towards the train station. She looked back at airport and sighed. Suddenly, she heard a noise and saw an airplane in the sky that came from the airport. "That must be Aya's flight…" she whispered to herself.

"It is."

The bleached-blonde turned around and saw Rei. "Where were you?" she asked out of curiosity and she was rather surprised when she realized she sounded so casual—so _off_.

"I went to a place where I can see the airplane clearly. I waited until her plane took off." Rei whispered, staring at Ran.

Ran looked away and focused her eyes on the ground. When she couldn't take the deep scrutiny of Rei anymore, she covered her face with her purse. "Stop staring at my face!" she exclaimed, her eyes shut tight. She then walked away slowly.

"Ran," Rei called out.

This made Ran walk faster that eventually led to running. She ran quickly away from Rei, chanting words to calm herself. _You've got to hold it back…!_

Rei couldn't chase her—not yet. They both needed time. They still need to understand the situation carefully. He touched his lips once again and he closed his eyes. Ran saw them kissing…did it hurt her? Was it the reason why she avoided him? Rei clenched his fists. He was a heartless bastard—he knew that. He was an insensitive guy all along. He had hurt the one he truly loves the most…

* * *

Time passed quickly and Ran couldn't believe that she was at home at last. She unlocked the front door with her keys and opened it. She quickly landed flat on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Her knees were shaky and her heart ached. She clutched the clothes over her chest and started to hiccup. Suddenly, the phone that was beside her rang.

She stared at the phone for a moment and after 4 rings, she picked up the receiver and sat up. "_Moshi-moshi_?" she whispered after a long pause as her voice shook.

"Hey Ran. It's me, Yuuya. I called just to know if you're all right…"

Ran was surprised slightly. She sat on the couch and stared at the phone again. "There's nothing to worry about, Yuuya. I'm fine. In fact, to console myself, I think I'm going to have baking classes so I can bake my own cookies and so I can't miss Aya's cookies!!" she exclaimed.

"Oh."

"I also have to plan a party already for the return of Aya next month. I'll be really busy with all the shopping and plans I have to make. Also, Yamato's thinking of having a dog—so I can play with it when I'm bored. Isn't it fun? I'm already excited! You can come over too if you want to play with it!"

On the line, Yuuya kept quiet. He just listened as Ran kept on talking. He figured that it was her way to not let him know what she feels. _You still have a lot of crying to do over him… You have to endure crying alone for now… But just a little more time, and you will not cry alone anymore. _His eyes narrowed as his concern for Ran grew.

"That's good to hear…" he said when Ran finished talking. "I'm glad to know you're still feeling happy." _Even when you really aren't._

"I'm always happy, Yuuya! Remember that well! So, I'm really tired right now… I'll just catch up to you in school. Is that okay with you?" she asked.

"It's okay. Rest well, Ran."

"Thanks. I hope you stay in good health and…" Ran paused and her voice shook again. "…try not to push yourself too much. Bye." She whispered and waited until Yuuya put down the receiver, not realizing that she sobbed when she said goodbye to him. She suddenly recalled one by one the instances when Aya showed her love for Rei and he returned it. She had been quiet then, and refused to cry because of it. But—

_Aya hugged him tighter and planted a chaste kiss on his lips, murmuring, "I love you…so much." Rei didn't seem to mind that Aya was kissing him in public. He wrapped his arms around her._

As Ran clutched tightly on the phone, tears streamed down on her cheeks and she cried harder than before, all the locked-up feelings gushing out. She sobbed as she found it difficult to breathe. She had made her decision a long time ago to jump directly in the meat shredder and endure the pain she was going to feel…just to be close to him. She loved _him_ more than anything else—but she just couldn't have him. She knew that she would forever cry over Rei.

_He still loves her…despite his advances on me…_

Ran continued to cry, the tears being illuminated by the full moon above her. She didn't know what would happen next…but she knew it would certainly hurt her for sure. She covered her face with a pillow and slowly slipped in oblivion, the hot tears still trickling down, unable to stop.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Author's notes: **Whoa… I think this is my longest chapter ever…and probably the last one (I guess) I'll do this year—because it's school time again (aww…another long wait!). So, did you guys like the story? I certainly had lots of fun writing this one, especially the part about Rei treating Tatsuki to a diner. I lazed off a bit at Aya's departure because I HAD to include slight ReiXAya scenes there (I bet their fans are cheering right now). Oooh, Aya's finally gone!! What will happen now?

I felt really _**drained**_ after I wrote about Ran in the end. I had to imagine I was Ran crying for the man she loved that she cannot have—and it really was hard for me to put those feelings into words. I even tried to recall the memory of my _ex_-crush who just didn't like me because I was too young for him, and then I gave my best to squeeze out tears from my dry eyes. So forgive me if you haven't been satisfied. Criticisms are welcome, if they are reasonable!! To all the students, enjoy your summer vacation, and my birthday is in June (GIFTS please!! Hehehe). Hooray!! Thanks for having the time to read my fic, and I'm going to answer your reviews in return!

P.S. I uploaded this chapter in a computer rental—and I deleted it from the "My Documents" after. But I forgot to erase it in the recycle bin (stupid me!)! So if anyone sees a story REALLY similar to this one, please tell me!! I'll gladly appreciate it!

_Arigatou gozaimasu!_

Koharu-chan

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**Answers to the Reviews:**

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**Chaomi: **Hello! Thanks for loving this fic! Well, this fanfiction is truly for you solid ReiXRan fans! Haha, yes, the fans of ReiXAya are quite…bloodcurdling! Hehehe… Well, maybe because they know, unconsciously, that the _really_ intended match in the anime were Rei and Ran! A lot of people think that Yuuya is quite good for Aya, so maybe I'll consider the pairing. Also, I guess I won't include Mami just yet—or I won't include her at all. It really depends on the flow of the story. Thanks for leaving a review!

**Icy-natsu85: **Yes, yes! I already updated and it's thanks to your review! You aren't the only one who grieves about the not-ending-up-together of Rei and Ran in the manga and anime—hundreds of fans do too, including me! Don't you worry! I'll make this story _seem_ real and interesting that you'll think it's the sequel to the original GALS! Hahaha…but you'll need lots of concentration…hehehe. Thanks for the review!

**Heavenlydreams: **Hmm…We can't say if Ran would resist Rei for long (wink, wink). But now Aya's out of the picture, lots of things could happen between them, both happy and painful changes. Whew! But as a loyal ReiXRan fan, I'll make this story interesting enough to satisfy your cravings!! Thanks for always leaving a review, and sorry if I haven't updated for so long!

**Ranni: **I bet you used up all your patience in waiting for this one to come out! I'm sorry if I haven't updated lately, and I'm glad you are eager to see what will happen next. Thank you very much for leaving a review!!

**Hikari Manganji: **OMG! YES! I updated!! Hahaha… Gawrsh… (Think of Goofy saying that one) I really am pleased that you think my story is wonderful I don't deserve such praise (cries in happiness in a corner)! Yes, I'll try to update faster and I hope you'll love the next chapter as well! Thanks for the "wonderful" review!!!

**XkanomieX: **Haha…I really feel terrible for having you wait for too long! I promise to update faster (although it's really hard with the entire author's block and all)! Yes, it's true about the season 2 of GALS! I haven't seen it yet, but I'm really hopeful to find some **EMPHASIS **on the ReiXRan pairing! I'm excited too! Thanks for leaving a review!

**Mangadreams: **Thanks for thinking that it was a great chappie! Hmm…maybe the people are still working on the TV version of GALS! Season 2…but yes, the manga goes further. Now I really am filled with excitement! Thanks for the review!

**15transcends: **Ohmigod…thanks for loving my story and the pairing itself! Yes, I'll try to update as soon as possible! Thanks for supporting me and for the review!

**Sailor aidos: **You loved the ReiXRan hugging moment? Me too! Well…Ran fainted because of shock (and she has a fever, so probably because she felt hot), I guess… Nyahahaha! Some author I am, not knowing the reason behind that…hehehe! Aya won't be back for at least 2 to 3 chapters, so I guess that will have lots of time for the two (Rei and Ran) to have chances to be together and that will result from 2 to 3 chapters of happiness from ReiXRan fans! Har, har! Thanks for thinking it's a great fic, and a _domo _for the review!

**Miya-kaichu**: Omfreakingosh! Oh…please do not stop reading this fanfic until the end!!! Hahaha…just kidding. Thank you for your patronage and thanks for the review!!

**Catherine07**: Naw…my story isn't that beautiful…hehehe... But thanks for the praise and the review!!

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Thanks to all the people who left me a review, and sorry if I haven't answered some of your reviews…hehehe… Yes! Click that li'l button down there, so I can bounce off the walls and scream "_**SQUEEE!**_" because of happiness! Um…p-please…? Think of it as a present for my birthday! Thank you so much!! 


	8. Of Cellphones, Fountains, and Motorbikes

**Author's notes:** If you would visit my profile page (w/c is within you would read a silly "interview" about me and such. It's not really worth reading, but heck, I did it out of boredom. But this chapter was not created because tediousness at all—several ideas were running in my head and I can't stop myself from typing the "scenes" I'm imagining here, even if I should be studying right now for the major exams (woot! Feeling heroic of some kind…). And it's nearly Christmas, so this is my gift to all avid readers out there of this fic! Hehe…he. Anyway, I was really flattered by your reviews! Not only that you left one, but you praised the previous chapter so much as well. _**Domo arigatou gozaimasu!**_ I'm pretty amazed on how this story is going… More and more people are reading! Oooh, I'm so happy that my knees are shaky and my toes are tingly!! Thank you so much for reading this amateur fanfiction of mine!

Oh, and I'm sorry for the very, _**very**_ late update yet again. I don't know why I'm like this. When I first posted a story here in I always updated (within one to two weeks), but then the chapters were horrible!! I had so many flames then! But I hope I improved (did I?)…and so I make the chapters long. Do I make sense at all? Nah. I'll just keep my mouth shut because I've been using it quite a lot nowadays (which leads me to chaotic events). Anyways, on to the story!

**Notice: **Oooh!! A jealous Rei! I bet you fans are going to like this chappie… Nyahahaha!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Chou_ GALS! Kotobuki Ran! But I'm proud to say that I own a diary that's made of recycled paper…um, yeah. It's pathetic, but hey, I'm helping the environment and I like the smell. Mm-mm!

(**Warning:** Profanity, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, light lemon, OOC-ness and others may be present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and watching GALS! again isn't necessary.**__**The story plot is mine and don't steal it, nincompoop!!**_

* * *

**Previously…**

* * *

"_He still loves her…despite his advances on me…"_

_Ran continued to cry, the tears being illuminated by the full moon above her. She didn't know what would happen next…but she knew it would certainly hurt her for sure. She covered her face with a pillow and slowly slipped in oblivion, the hot tears still trickling down, unable to stop._

* * *

**Give Me A Chance,** **Chapter 8: Phone Calls, Fountains, and Motorbikes**

* * *

The alarm of Yuuya's cellphone rang noisily in the late morning, making the blond sit up to turn the sinful device off. He thought of going back to sleep but he knew he couldn't anymore. It was nearly lunch time.

"Stupid cellphone." he whispered groggily to himself, squinting at the brightness of the room due to the daylight. As he glared sideways at his cellphone, he remembered the previous conversation he had with Ran over the phone.

_I hope you stay in good health and…_

He hoped it was just a dream.

_...try not to push yourself too much…_

But it wasn't, unfortunately. What did shemean by that? Was she saying that he should stay away from her and leave her alone? Or was she trying to say to him that it was no use pursuing her because her heart would forever be with…his best friend? Two days have passed since their conversation and what happened after?

"That sucks." Yuuya mumbled to himself, not knowing which question he responded to. He sighed heavily and lied flatly on his messy bed again. _Now that Aya's gone, what will happen next?_ He closed his eyes for a few minutes, trying to get back to sleep, but to no avail. He was thinking too much. Thinking too much of Kotobuki Ran and Otohata Rei.

_This is pathetic._

The attractive blond got up once again in quick movements. After he was done with his daily routine (including eating breakfast), he went out of the house to ease his boredom and take his mind off certain things. On the way to the streets of Shibuya, his cellphone rung from his pocket and he fished it out easily, looking around to see if somebody (usually a fan girl) was trying to eavesdrop. _This cellphone is always busy with its work, huh? _When he saw none, he answered the call. "Hello?"

"Hey, Yuuya. It's me."

Yuuya's eyes widened in surprise as he realized who he was talking to. "Oh. Hey, M-Miyu." He stuttered, still in amazement that the blonde had called her up _first_.

"Hm? Are you okay, Yuuya-kun? Why are you stuttering?" she asked, making small laughs that the blond could hear. It was clear that she was laughing at Yuuya's reaction.

Yuuya scratched his head unconsciously and continued walking along the sidewalk. "It's nothing. Just surprised that you called me." He reasoned out, though he knew it was lame. Which? He didn't know.

Miyu let out soft giggles, but they faded instantly—as if she wasn't giggling in the first place. Yuuya felt that he was going to hear something bad. _Miyu calling me is strange, so there must be something wrong going on._

"Listen…" the soft voice whispered on the other line. "Have you seen Ran somewhere?"

It took a good five seconds before Yuuya could respond. "No. Why?" he asked nonchalantly, masking his sudden worry of the bleached-blonde girl.

The response was a long sigh. "Well, I'm in their house right now and I can't see her anywhere. We were supposed to go to a mall sale today. But she's…ah. I'm so disappointed and worried that I can't think straight." A giggle. "Sorry."

Yuuya was about to laugh with her, but he blurted out instead, "Worried?"

"Yeah." She murmured. Yuuya could almost hear Yamato greeting his sister Sayo a good morning. "Ever since Aya left, she's been dazed. I'm really worried…" She trailed off.

_Me too. _Yuuya held himself back and stopped walking. He can't act like 'that' in front of Miyu. "Have you called her already?" he asked.

"No, because her _ketai_'s here. It's…a bit uncharacteristic of her to leave it here though." Miyu responded.

"That _is_ strange." Yuuya frowned. He sat on a nearby bench to rest (because he couldn't feel his legs moving anymore) and thought about where Ran might have gone to. "Or maybe she just forgot to bring it with her."

"Maybe. I wish I knew." A pause. "So…are you with Rei too?"

Yuuya had a bad feeling about Miyu's question. "No. Why are you exactly asking?" he asked. Was it possible that Ran was with him?

Miyu let out a nervous giggle. "Uh, nothing. I just had the urge to loll Rei's name in my mouth. And I'm just making sure because…you know."

Yuuya shook his head. _No, I don't. I don't know what's happening between them._ "Yeah. I know." He said quietly.

"Oh. So, um, if you ever see her, just give me a call."

"I will."

"Thanks." Receiver down.

The blond put his cellphone back in his pocket and looked around the vicinity. _If ever I see her, what will I say? That Miyu is looking for her? That I want to talk to her privately? That to stay away from Rei because it will not only hurt me, but also Aya? _He sighed as he massaged his temples, his feet moving automatically. He passed by a tiny bookstore, suddenly remembering something.

"_GAH! I'm so bored! I wonder where—oh, it's Rei! Rei---" Yuuya said incompletely._

"_Rei! How about this book? I think it's going to be worth reading." A voice said, and Yuuya saw Aya walk towards Rei, holding a thick book. Yuuya laughed at the way Rei's face turned sour, but he also felt so envious. He wished he and Ran could be like that too someday._

Yuuya stopped at his tracks when something caught his eyes.

It was Rei riding on his motorbike, stuck in a heavy traffic. _Oh yippee. Coincidence. _"Where's he going?" he asked himself, noticing that the road was leading to a dance studio where Tatsuki hangs out.He was about to shout out his name, but he held back. He didn't want to deal with Rei for now.

Not when he felt so betrayed.

* * *

"This is it." Ran whispered to herself. 

She was back—back to _their_ meeting place before. _I can't believe I'm here._ She pushed the door in front of her and stepped inside the dance studio that was a little humid. Combination of dust and sweat filled her sense of smell. She stuck her tongue out in disgust as she looked around for a familiar face.

"Ran? Is that you? RAN!!"

Ran smiled instantly, turning around to see a certain monkey-look-alike that was none other than Kuroi Tatsuki. "Hey, Tatsuki!" she greeted, waving her hand at him.

Tatsuki quickly ran towards the bleached-blonde like an eager dog to his master and held her lifted hand tightly, smiling. "What brings you here, my lo—I mean, my _friend_?" He asked, but he froze when he saw Ran raising her eyebrows at him. He coughed and laughed nervously. "It's not that I'm complaining, but…why?"

"Do you even have to ask that? I just wanted to see how you're doing." Ran replied, laughing at her ex. Even though Tatsuki was not ever considered good-looking, he still had the heart of gold. Plus, he was really funny. That was why she picked him as her first boyfriend.

"Well, I think I'm doing well. My dancing skills are still improving, you see. Maybe we can have a dance showdown someday when I'm really great." He said breathlessly, still not believing that Ran was the one visiting him. Feeling confident, he held her soft arms and led her outside (at an alleyway) to talk more privately. "So…how have you been?" he whispered.

Ran would've laughed out loud by the way Tatsuki's face turned serious, but she held herself. "I'm okay. Just a few problems with school and with Aya's leave, but I can still live. I guess." She said, laughing at her rhyming words. _Leave and live, huh…?_

Tatsuki noticed that Ran was trying to force herself to laugh. Even though they were a couple for a long time, he still didn't know what was going on in her mind. It saddened him a bit—it was as if it was only _him_ who could be the person she could confide on. Not once did Ran confide in him when she had problems. It was always with _Rei_.

By now tears were forming at the corner of Ran's eyes. She swiped them with the back of her hand, murmuring a hurried "tears of joy." She breathed deeply and looked at Tatsuki strangely, noticing that he was frowning. "Tatsuki…?"

He looked at her gravely. "Have you told him?" he asked.

Ran blinked. "Huh?" she asked.

"Have you told him?" he repeated.

"W-what are you talking about?" Ran inquired, utterly confused. "…and who is it?"

Tatsuki sighed. "Have you told Rei…about your problems?" he asked quietly, looking away.

Ran's eyes widened. "Wha—How did Rei get in the subject? Why should I tell him?" She held her bag tightly and this didn't escape from Tatsuki's eyes.

"Oh, nothing." He said hastily.

Ran raised her eyebrow at him, utterly confused and somehow relieved a little. "What?"

"I tell you, it's nothing. It just came out from my mouth!" Tatsuki exclaimed, eager to change the subject. "Anyway, speaking of Rei, I met him a few days ago before Aya went away."

The bleached-blonde's eyes widened. "Oh" was all she could say. She didn't want to look so curious or excited, for it would only stir something up.

Tatsuki leaned against the wall. "It was really weird…he treated me to a diner just to extract information from me." He looked at the chougal in front of him.

"Information." Ran said flatly.

"Yeah. Information." He repeated. "About us—why we broke up."

The bleached-blonde flinched. "He asked you about _that_? Why would he?" she asked in nervousness. _What is his intention?_

The monkey-look-alike shrugged. "I knew he was lying when he said that Aya was so concerned about you, when I know you told her the reason why. He really wanted to know…" he trailed off, looking at the bright sky above them and squinting.

Ran held the handle of her bag tightly. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that we were so the same."

She blinked. "That's all?"

Tatsuki smiled. _There's no way I'm going to tell her what I said to Rei._ "Believe me." He murmured. _Still, I'm right. Why is she so curious about my answer to his question? Is my guess really true?_

Loud footsteps greeted them suddenly. Ran and Tatsuki hurriedly looked at the direction where the noise came from.

"Oi Tatsuki, you've got a phone call." A guy from the dance studio said, eyeing Ran then looking at the monkey-look-alike reluctantly. "You better make it quick." He added in irritation, and with that he walked away.

Tatsuki sighed loudly when the guy was gone. _I thought it was 'him', suddenly popping out when we're talking about him. _He looked at his ex-girlfriend and smiled. _But I guess that only happens in a TV series._ _I'm being paranoid._ "Do you mind if you wait inside the studio? I think the phone call's pretty important." he said.

Ran shook her head. "Not at all. But…I better get going. I still have a lot of things to do." She whispered, still thinking of what Tatsuki was going to say to her a while ago. "Besides, I think you also have a lot to do. I just came here to see how you're doing."

"Really? Is that all?" Tatsuki leaned forward towards her. "No goodbye kiss or anything?" he asked, puckering his lips, as if asking for a kiss.

Ran laughed and pressed her bag on Tatsuki's lips. "Eew, you make me sick!!" she exclaimed, slapping Tatsuki's back heavily.

"Ow!" Tatsuki winced at the intensity but still laughed. "You haven't changed at all…!" he exclaimed back. He walked towards the end of the alleyway with Ran following behind him. After taking a deep breath, he turned back to her. "I'll see you soon."

The chougal nodded. "Yeah. Take care." She said as she squeezed his left forearm fondly.

Tatsuki grinned and blushed a little. He then ran towards the entrance of the dance studio and waved his hand at her. "I'll treat you to lunch when I have money! I promise!" he said.

"It's an "eat-all-you-can", okay?" Ran exclaimed, waving back.

"Sure!!" Tatsuki said before he was pulled inside the studio by the same guy who interrupted their conversation a while ago. He looked back outside and saw Ran walking away. _If only I can help you…_ He shook his head and grabbed the phone that was handed to him by the chap. "Hello?"

"Oi, Tatsuki! What took you so long?!" exclaimed the person at the other line.

Tatsuki, recognizing the voice, laughed loudly. "Sorry, sorry. A friend came to visit and I entertained her a little. Why'd you call anyway?" he asked.

A pause. "Have you seen Ran?"

Tatsuki's eyes widened. "Ran? She was the friend I was talking about! She just left—wait, I'll go outside and see if she's still—"

"No, it's okay. You say that she just left from the dance studio? Since I'm just near, I'll go look for her myself. Thanks anyway—oh wait, why did she visit you? You sick or something?" the person asked.

Tatsuki's eyes narrowed, then he smiled and shook his head, feeling stupid because he realized that the person on the other line couldn't see him. "No. She just wanted to see how I'm doing. Why? You jealous or something?" he asked.

A long pause. "…no."

"Hmm?" Tatsuki's eyes narrowed even further.

"It's nothing."

Tatsuki waited for the person on the other line to speak up again. There was something wrong about the "pause" going on—like the person had just remembered something bad. "Hey Yuuya…you still there?" he asked slowly, unsure whether to ask the question or not.

"By any chance," Yuuya whispered on the other line. "Have you seen Rei there?"

The monkey-look-alike's eyes blinked. _Otohata_ _Rei—here? _"I didn't see him… Why are you—"

"Oh okay. Anyway, I'll hang up. I'll go look for her now. Thanks for the information." Yuuya said hurriedly.

"You're welcome." Tatsuki replied hesitantly. With that, he put the receiver down and stared at the entrance of the studio in front of him. _Why does it have to be Rei—of all people? There are so many other guys that are not "cold" like him…_ He then stared at the phone in front of him. _It must be hard on Yuuya…_

Sighing loudly, he picked up the receiver and dialed specific numbers. _I still love you, Ran, so I'm going to do this for you…_

* * *

Rei felt like exploding. If only he wasn't taught to be always calm when faced with stress, he could've done something terribly wrong at that very moment, like hitting a stranger on the face with his helmet. _Bad thoughts, bad thoughts… _He sighed. 

"Look! That's the famous Otohata Rei!! Kyiiii!!"

The brunet massaged his temples as he sat on his usual spot (on a certain flight of stairs of an overpass somewhere in Shibuya), irritated at the way the group of high school girls added fuel to the fire. _Do they have to squeal every time they see me? _He was stressed enough already—he didn't need them to add more. Running out of gas in the middle of the street, a taxi hitting his motorbike and not paying for the damage (because of the very stupid decision of the traffic police saying that it was Rei's fault in the first place), forgetting his wallet at home, and _dreadfully_ hungry—he wished they were stokes of luck instead of misfortunes. He cursed silently.

_Damn it all!_

But instead of pertaining to violence, he just took a deep breath and gave a big sigh. He knew he shouldn't waste his time on things that already happened—the past. He suddenly remembered what happened between Ran and him in the past few days.

Surprisingly, his cell phone rang, cutting his trail of thoughts. He fished it out from his pants easily and noticed that an unregistered number was calling him. The brunet cautiously answered his phone, thinking that it was a fan girl who got his number from a friend (not that he has too many of those). "Who is this?" he said in the bitterest voice he could muster.

"Um…Otohata?"

The handsome youth blinked and didn't respond for a while. When he let out a long sigh, he coughed meaningfully and answered the call. "Miyu." _Why is she calling me?_

"Is this a bad time to call you up?" the hesitant voice of Miyu said.

Rei shook his head and then cursed himself when he realized that Miyu couldn't see him doing that. "No, it's okay. Do you need anything?" He asked, hiding the surprise in his voice that Miyu would call him up. He didn't even have her number in his cell phone because he knew she wouldn't call him even if he was the last person on Earth. _But why now?_

"I…just wanted to ask you something."

Rei could feel the fear and anger in her voice. Fear because of Rei's cold voice and anger because he _assaulted_ her best friend in front of her on that fateful day. "Go on."

"Have you seen Ran somewhere?"

Dark eyes blinked. "Ran?" he repeated. Maybe he wasn't hearing right.

"Yes. I'm looking for her—I can't find her anywhere." There was an obvious worry in her voice as she spoke shakily. "I even called up Yuuya, but he still can't find her."

Rei kept silent for a moment to straighten his thoughts up. One, Ran was missing. No, not really entirely missing, just couldn't be find anywhere. Two, he would have to leave his motorbike if he had to look for her. Three, what was more important to him? The motorbike that he had for years—or that one person he couldn't get his mind off to? "I'll call you when I see her." He answered quietly. _I think that answers the question._

"Oh. At first I thought she was with you." Miyu said before she let out a shriek. She wasn't supposed to say that. She murmured a soft "sorry" quickly.

But it was too late. It registered in Rei's mind quickly. "What do you mean by that?" he asked curiously. Did Miyu thought he kidnapped Ran? _But it's only natural for her to think that way. I can't blame her though if she became paranoid because she saw me kissing Ran with her own two eyes._

"I don't mean anything. I just thought that maybe she was with you. You know—hanging out." Miyu excused.

The brunet opened his eyes. He didn't even remember when he had closed them. "It's okay. I'll go look for her." he whispered. He waited until Miyu put the receiver down before he turned off his cellphone. _What a good impression I made._ He stood up and walked towards his motorbike, looking at it pensively. "I should leave it in the shop. The old man wouldn't mind." He whispered to himself.

As he walked with his motorbike to the shop where he worked part-time, several thoughts flooded his mind. He knew that Ran wouldn't want him to be the one to find her. Heck, he knew that Ran didn't even want to see him. He was sure of that. _Why?_ He didn't know. He had a gut feeling about it.

"_She'll be happier if Yuuya finds her."_

Of course, that thought sent a hot flash of jealousy as it was mixed with the image of the blond kissing Ran on the cheek. He shook his head. He didn't have the right to be jealous. They weren't _involved_ or something that compared to that.

The striking youth saw that he was near. He stared at the asphalt ground for a long moment. He had just realized it. Why else would she resist him? That could only mean one thing. He meant nothing to her.

…and that thought hurt him.

* * *

"Thank God, I found you!" 

Ran turned around to where the voice came from. A guy was scratching his head awkwardly, obviously relieved that he found his girlfriend by the fountain (their meeting place, maybe). The girl giggled and put her arms around his and they walked together towards the train station just in front.

The bleached-blonde girl let out a sigh. _Cheesy lovers._ Even with that thought, she couldn't help but envy the couple. They looked so happy and content…it was almost as if they were the only ones on Earth. Why weren't she and Tatsuki like that when they were together?

"Because you're not made for each other." Ran answered herself, sitting at a bench near the said fountain. After sighing again (because she realized she left her cellphone at home), she drew out her wallet from her bag. She had just taken her lunch in a diner, but still she felt hungry. _I still have enough for a snack—thank goodness! All this thinking makes me hungry._ As a lover of food, Ran instantly stood up and worked her mind to where it would be great to grab a snack. But before she can even take a step forward, a voice caught her attention.

"Ran!!!"

The chougal stood still—and after a few seconds, she turned to face the person who was calling her name. She smiled hesitantly. "Ah… Yuuya! What a coincidence!" she exclaimed, forcing herself to look happy. She felt embarrassed when she remembered about the night when Yuuya called her up. She had cried like a baby then. _So shameful!!_

Yuuya ran up to the bleached-blonde girl and smiled widely. He had small beads of sweat forming on his forehead and the sides of his cheeks. "Thank God, I found you!" he blurted out and held Ran on her shoulders. He was panting heavily—it was obvious that he was running for quite a while.

Ran almost laughed when she heard the '_Thank God, I found you!_' line again, but stopped herself. She eyed the blond and the way he looked so tired. "What were you doing? You're sweating like crazy!" she pointed out, unmindful of the tight grasp of the blond to her shoulders.

Yuuya shook his head and sat down on the bench with Ran. "Miyu's…looking for you." He whispered, taking out his cellphone from his pocket and handing it to her. "You better call her up. She's worried about you, and—" He stopped talking when he noticed that Ran was staring at him. He tried suppressing himself from blushing, but to no avail.

"You're really a nice guy, Yuuya." Ran remarked, taking out a flowery-designed handkerchief from her bag and handing it to Yuuya. "You looked for me because you cared about Miyu. That's so nice." She smiled at him before dialing the number of Miyu on Yuuya's phone.

The blond blinked. As he grasped Ran's handkerchief, he felt something strange. _It would've been nice if she wiped my face herself—but I know that's impossible. _His grasp tightened. _Doesn't she realize the reason I looked for her is I care for her—and not Miyu?_ He glanced at the chougal who was apologizing profusely to her best friend at the phone as he wiped his sweat away from his face. He smelled the fruit-with-vanilla scent on the handkerchief Ran lend to him. _So like her._

After talking with Miyu, Ran turned the cellphone off and gave it to Yuuya. "Thanks for letting me use it—no, thanks for everything!" she exclaimed.

Yuuya smiled back at her, but his smile faded away easily. He coughed meaningfully and noticed that Ran was confused about his sudden change. "Are you okay?" He started.

Ran blinked and grinned nervously. "I'm perfectly fine, Yuuya. Why are you asking me that?" she replied, feeling that he would ask her questions that she wouldn't be able to answer truthfully.

"Since our last conversation on the phone, I was worried about you." Yuuya continued, looking away to look at his shoes and he grasped the edges of the bench with his hands. "You don't need to force yourself to be happy. If you have to cry, then cry. If you have to be sad, then be sad."

The bleached-blonde girl's heart thumped quickly. Why was Yuuya saying all those things? Could it be that he knew the pain she was bearing then? She still tried to be ignorant. "What are you saying about forcing myself? I'm always happy and—"

The blond then looked straight at Ran's eyes. "I know that you felt bad when you saw Rei and Aya-san doing _that_." he gritted. "Don't try to make excuses. You said so yourself. You're in love with my best friend, Otohata Rei." His own words stabbed his heart. _Why my best friend, of all people…?_ "It's impossible that you wouldn't feel anything if you saw your love kissing someone else!"

Ran opened her mouth to say something, but the words didn't come out. Instead, she felt tears stinging her eyes. Her hands were shaking and she bit her lower lip to stop the tears from flowing down. Yuuya was right. She felt so jealous and hurt when she saw Rei kissing Aya back. She was expecting that Rei wouldn't reciprocate, but she was wrong. And that made the whole difference.

Rei was in _love_ with Aya. He only _liked_ Ran.

Yuuya wanted to take back his words. He was too blunt. Flooding with the guilt of making Ran cry, he put his hands on the either side of her shoulders and tried to stop her from shaking. He sighed. He knew it was futile. "As hard as it seems, you still have a lot of crying to do over him." he whispered softly.

Ran stiffened, but she continued listening to him.

"But remember this." Yuuya brushed away a stray hair from Ran's striking face. "You're not the only one crying."

That sentence made Ran look up at Yuuya. She noticed that he was holding something back, but he was not crying. She held his arm tightly so as to comfort him, but Yuuya stood up and looked at the fountain in front of them. "Yuuya?" she called out.

Yuuya looked at her and smiled. "I have to go. I'm sorry if I'm leaving you like this." He murmured. _Here I am, leaving her again. But I know I'm not the one she wants to be with._

Before Ran could even say goodbye, Yuuya ran away and was gone instantly. She still couldn't believe that Yuuya said those words. Did it mean that while she was crying…he was crying too? She shook her head. "No. Yuuya isn't like that." She tried to convince herself.

* * *

He found her. But someone else found her first. 

Rei stood at an intricately-decorated flower shop, just a few feet away where Ran and Yuuya were. He saw how Yuuya held her and Ran doing so too—and how the blond abandoned her quickly. He didn't hear what they were talking about, but it caused Ran's body to shake badly. He knew that she was about to cry.

"_Yuuya's on his way to find Ran." Tatsuki said on the phone after he informed Rei of Ran's whereabouts._

"_Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you tell this Yuuya first?" Rei asked._

"_I already did. But I figured you should, too."_

"_Why?"_

"_I don't have to tell you that. It's unimportant."_

"…"

"_I just hope you find her first." Receiver down._

_Rei looked at his cellphone and blinked confusedly. What did Tatsuki just say?_

But he didn't find her first. What if he did? So what if he didn't?

But the brunet wished that he didn't see them together. He could've arrived much later! He didn't like the feeling he got when he saw those hands on Ran's shoulders and the girl's arm on his. _**It**_ felt like hell. He really didn't like _that_ feeling—that jealousy feeling. But even if he felt like ripping Yuuya's hands into four, he wondered about the blond's expression as he talked with Ran. It was obvious that he was sad. But why?

_I wish I found her first._

After making sure Yuuya was not around anymore (and mentally cursing him for abandoning Ran), he took small steps towards the bleached-blonde girl's back, making sure to be silent. When he reached her place, he felt foolish for being like a stalker and breathed deeply. "So you're here." He just said.

Ran instantly turned around to look at him. Her eyes widened. "I-it's you!" she exclaimed in surprise, wiping her eyes with her sleeve in one quick swipe. It was childish and looked very cute for the brunet. "Don't tell me you were looking for me too." she said weakly, coughing after.

"I was. You're really special, huh? Everybody's looking for you." Rei said and sat on the spot where Yuuya was sat a while ago. He felt Ran's eyes boring on him.

"I didn't ask them to." Ran sniffed. She still looked at the brunet, surprised that he was beside her. She was also surprised that they were talking to each other casually. Remembering the conversation she had with Yuuya, she expected Rei to ask her the same thing—if she was okay. She knew that Rei realized she was crying.

But instead, Rei stood up again and looked at her with a forced frown. "Have you eaten?" he asked.

The chougal looked at him. "What?" she asked, as if not hearing right.

"I asked you if you have eaten already." The brunet repeated impatiently. Obviously he was not used to saying those words that showed he _cared_—being the heartless, cold, and insensitive bastard he is.

_Bastard, huh? _Ran wanted to laugh. "If I haven't, would you treat me to lunch?" she asked seriously, but still with the hint of a tease. She wanted to get away from him, but somehow she couldn't. It was like something was letting her stick with the brunet.

Rei looked at her. "There's no such thing as free lunch." He replied flatly that made Ran scoff. He then took the time to stare at the girl in front of him. Her eyes were sore, making it obvious that she had cried. Those eyes looked straight back at him. They were questioning him with those little glints. He had to use all his willpower to look away from them.

Ran stayed quiet. She knew that he wanted to say something, so she bit her lip and refrained from saying a word.

"I don't have my money with me." The brunet said, walking towards the fountain in front of them, his back to her. The sprinkles of the water landed on his face and he wiped them away slowly. "I'll just cook you something."

Ran couldn't help but laugh out loudly. "Y-you can cook?!" she exclaimed, still laughing. She couldn't believe she was feeling happy all of a sudden. Only Otohata Rei had that effect on her.

Rei turned around to face her, a forced frown on his face. "Of course I can. I've been living all by myself for years now." He explained casually. "And I like cooking, so I can put poison safely in the food for people like you."

"You can't poison me! I've been eating street foods for a long time, so my stomach is immune to such impurities!" Ran exclaimed back, rolling her eyes.

After a long moment of silence, the chougal started laughing with her eyes closed. Too bad, she couldn't see the smile on Rei's face.

As if he had just done something terribly wrong, he turned his back to Ran again quickly. "What do you think?"

Ran's laughter gradually died down. "Okay then. But where will you cook? It can't be in my place, because…you know how the people are there. If they see a guy close to our house, they'll think he's my boyfriend." She explained. _That's why there's already a rumor about Rei and me having a secret affair—ever since he had accompanied me home._

"Where's else? Let's go to my place." With that, he looked over his shoulder to glance at the chougal.

Ran's body went rigid. If it was a different person in a different place, she would've slapped him by now. What was Rei implying? She knew he wasn't like _that_, but he was a guy. And all the guys she knew thought of the _same thing_. Even Tatsuki thought about doing it once. She had smacked him in the face with her bag then.

"But Rei's different," a voice inside told her.

_I beg to differ._ The bleached-blonde girl grasped her bag tightly. _If I go, I still have my bag and I know how to fight well, so…there shouldn't be any problem. If he isn't like that, then… _"What will happen?" she asked herself. She didn't know whether she would be afraid of _it_ happening or not. And he was Aya's boyfriend! _Maybe I should suggest my house instead._

By now Rei was facing her. "Well?" he asked. He knew it wasn't appropriate at all to invite a girl to his place, much alone his girlfriend's _best friend_. But he wouldn't touch her—he didn't have any intention of doing _that_ to her. He respects her, for Christ's sake! Couldn't Ran see that?

"Okay."

Rei blinked. "Huh?"

Ran stood up with her hands firmly planted on the sides of her bag. "I said okay. Let's go. I'm really hungry." She said, walking towards him. She was surprised a little at what she said.

The brunet let out a soft sigh when he noticed the stiffness of Ran's body. She looked nervous. "Look, Ran." he started, noticing that her eyes widened. "I want you to know that I don't have any bad intentions at all."

"I know. That's why I agreed to go with you, idiot." Ran said in response, laughing sincerely. She looked up at him. "I believe you." _So it comes to this._

Rei wanted to say something, but no words came out. He just nodded at her, whispering a soft, "Follow me." Grabbing Ran's right wrist and holding it tight, they walked towards the shop where Rei worked. He was amused that Ran didn't ask questions. She obediently let herself be dragged by the youth.

After some time, they finally arrived at the said place and the brunet was surprised that his motorbike was gone. "What the…?" He looked around the shop to look for his beloved motorbike, letting go of Ran's wrist in the process.

Ran was somehow disappointed when the warmth left her wrist. His grasp was so protective that she couldn't help but love it. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"My bike's gone."

Suddenly, the manager of the said shop walked from behind them. "Hey, Rei! What's with that frown? And what's—oh, you're Kotobuki Ran, right?" he asked, a smile on his face.

Ran nodded enthusiastically and grinned. She grabbed his hand and shook it. "Yes, yes. I am Kotobuki Ran!!" she exclaimed, not noticing that she was getting giddy of the attention.

"I'm so glad to meet you! My daughter admires you the most." The manager said. After a while of introduction, he turned to look at Rei who was getting impatient. "What's wrong, young man?"

Rei massaged his temples. "Have you seen my motorbike somewhere? I just left it here and now it's gone."

The manager let out a chuckle. "Oh, that. I brought it in a repair shop, but don't get excited. It'll cost you your salary." he said, laughing when he heard Ran snickering. He looked amused when Rei scowled deeply. "If you need one, you can always use mine, just as long as you take care of it." With that, he fished out the key for his motorbike. "The bike's just in the garage. Go find it and have your lovely date."

Ran blushed instantly, her arms flailing in the air wildly. "I-it's not a date!" she exclaimed.

The manager laughed again and threw the keys to Rei's hands. "Go have fun." He said before going inside the shop.

Rei shook his head and headed towards the garage where the motorbike was. After a minute, he returned riding in the said vehicle to where Ran was standing, handing her a helmet. He didn't have one though, because the manager only has a single helmet—and the brunet's helmet was probably brought together with his motorbike to the repair shop.

"Thanks." Ran noticed that Rei wasn't wearing one. "What about you?" she asked, looking concerned.

"I'd probably die. But I can accept that, or I wouldn't own something like this in the first place. You never know when some asshole is going to merge into your lane and sandwich you between another car or something like that." He said, realizing that Ran was becoming upset. "Relax. We'll be fine. I promise."

Reluctantly, Ran put on the helmet. When she saw Rei's hand holding out to her, however, she didn't hesitate a bit and grabbed it tightly as she hopped on to the bike. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his midsection. Her hands rested on impossibly firm stomach muscles which tensed under her fingertips. _Eep! _She almost let go, but forced herself to relax. _Don't be a pervert. He's probably embarrassed enough as it is._

It took all of his effort for Rei not to utter any sound. Determined to ignore Ran's hands on him, he started the ignition. _This is dangerous. Not only physically, but mentally._

"Hey, I thought we were going already? Or are you scared?" Ran mocked.

"Look who's talking." Rei smirked as they left the garage, heading onto the street. Carefully, he merged, knowing that he was responsible for Ran's safety in addition to his own. He shot through an opening and weaved around a few cars, relishing the way Ran's arms tightened around him.

As they drove, Ran gradually relaxed. Slowly, she lifted her head and looked around. The scenery flew by at an alarming rate, the view so much different than when she was riding in a car. The sun was setting, and everything had a warm and peaceful look. _I didn't know so much time has passed already. _Store fronts reflected the fading sun, its light shimmering off of windows and bricks. The sky itself was in lush tones of yellow, orange, and pink, with streaks of lavender fading against the soft clouds. People strolled around contentedly, seeming to glow as they walked, their movements languid. It looked as though the city was under a golden spell, and it had never looked so beautiful to Ran. _It's so relaxing here._ _Maybe that's why Shibuya's always full of people__. The breeze also feels nice. _She sighed contentedly and rested her head against Rei's back. _Or maybe it's just him._

Despite the feeling of guilt, she was happy that she was with Rei. He was the only person that she fell in love with and she took the time to relinquish the feeling of being with him.

Rei concentrated on driving, trying not to actively acknowledge his emotions. He poured every ounce of his skill into his handling of the bike, refusing to allow any harm to come to his passenger. _If anything happens, I'll sacrifice my life for her._ Rei was surprised he had such thoughts. He still couldn't believe Ran trusted him—even after the things he had done to her. She was really one of a kind.

"Oh. We're here." Rei proclaimed, the vehicle coming to a halt in front of a tall building.

Ran looked at the building where Rei's apartment was. She gulped and coughed nervously. This was it. She was really going inside his apartment. Her trail of thoughts earlier came back to her again. _Expect the unexpected, they say._

As the bleached-blonde girl looked at Rei again, she realized that _that_ was hard to believe in.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Author's notes:** Again, I'm really sorry for taking so long to update—I've been tearing my hair out trying to get this to stay on character! This chapter is as long as the previous one, but I hope it's equally good or better. I can only say that this is the last chapter for this year. But don't worry, peeps! The update would be soon, because I'm so excited to write about the _eye-opener_ in the next chapter. Hahaha! What will happen to the two of them? Hmm-mm! The ratings might go up—or down. I don't know. That depends on my mood. Mwahaha haha! Also, I borrowed the "description of the scenery" from the fanfic "Change my Stripes." The sentences were so cute that I couldn't help but put it here too. 

I'm pretty surprised at Ran's actions here. She was afraid of what was coming, but still she went with Rei. Was it because she really loves him? Go figure! XD

I'm sorry if this chapter seems to have a lot of scenes and some scenes look like rushed. I just have the pressure of updating this week, and I think it really got into me. _**Honto ni gomen nasai!**_

P.S. And as a gift, I'm going to reply to the reviews of my lovely and very patient readers! Yes, yes. No need to thank me. Hehe.

_Arigatou gozaimasu!_

Koharu-chan

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**Answers to the Reviews:**

**Kate: **Hi there! Oh, you also love the ReiXRan pairing? That's great! Hmm… The pairings depend on the flow of the story (Hehehe…I really am evil) and I'm going to disappoint you by saying that Aya couldn't be gone forever, because she's a very important character in the story. But thanks for the praise! I don't think this story is all that great, but I hope this satisfies your cravings for the couple!! Thanks again!

**15transcends: **Thanks for greeting me! Yes, there are TONS of fics about ReiXAya. I was once a fan of their pairing, but I got too tired of it. Also, I saw the connection between Rei and Ran, so I couldn't help but _adore_ their pairing. As you can see, I am not forgetting my studies, but I'm forgetting this fic (Hahaha…bad girl)! Hehe. Hope you'll forgive me for updating so late! Thanks for leaving a review!

**Heavenlydreams: **Haha! Some of the scenes here are based from experience, so it's a bit realistic and I'm glad you liked it! Well…I'm really sorry to update so late, but I hope this chapter was good enough to satisfy your **thirst** for the pairing! Thank you for the wonderful review!

**Shounen-Ai: **Yes, it's very hard to find ReiXRan fanfics nowadays. But don't worry; I won't stop writing about this story till the end (although the updates will take long to write). I promise! This is the update and I hope you liked it! Thanks for the review!

**Sweetsimplcity: **Thanks for having the time to read my story! I also love what's happening in the story, especially _**what's going to happen**_ in the next chapter. I can't wait! Hehehe! Thanks for the lovely review!

**Eliannora: **I hope Rei is not out-of-character in this chapter… Thanks for leaving a review for each chapter and I'm very happy about it! Girl, you're not going to be starved anymore, because there would be _bountiful_ scenes of Rei and Ran together in the following chapters! Thanks again!

**YumiXD: **I've continued, as you can see! Hahaha! Thanks for the review!

**Animatrixgirl: **Uwaaah! I'm sorry for making you wait! I'll give you a cookie if you want—just to forgive me! Haha. Actually, it's been 6 months already (and I'm feeling bad, just typing that number)… I'm really sorry!! But I hope you liked this chapter!

**Animegirlsana4eva: **(Bows deeply) I'm VERY sorry for making you wait. I hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter. Thanks for leaving a review!

**Miya-kaichu**: You cried?! OMG, really? Thanks for your golden tears! I thought the 'crying scene' was useless and couldn't evoke emotions. Thanks again for leaving a very, very wonderful review to me!

**Eien Akkoku**: Really? A good ReiXRan story? (scratches head shyly) Thanks for liking this story and for the exquisite review!!

**Enchanted-Princess: **I'm sorry for taking forever to update! Yes, I'll continue writing till the end, don't worry! Thanks for having the time to leave a review!

**Rosette**: Shocks! I can't believe you left me a review! No, I won't ignore the reviews of my readers—they're very important for the story to improve. The meaning of _Baka_ is "idiot". Ran feels weak because she's been dealing with her emotions lately, which she's not used to. Thanks to you and your friend for loving this story!

**Mikan**: Aww… I'm touched that you're _touched_ of this story. Reviews like yours make me want to update more often! Thanks for the review!

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Thanks to all the people who read this story and have left a review! Your reviews make this story better and better! I hope you continue reading and looking forward to the updates of the story! So please…click that li'l button down there? Yes, that one. Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top please? _**"KYIII!!!" **_Thanks a lot! Again, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! 


	9. Of Libraries, Smoothies, and Trains

**Author's notes:** Hooray! It's a new year for us all and I started the celebration by writing this early (um…sort of—nyahahaha!). Thanks to all those reviewers who greeted me (I'll give you a bowl of fruit muesli or two—made by me!)!! But don't start thinking that "_**updating early and always**_" is my New Year's Resolution because I don't have one! I don't make a resolution because I'm afraid that I can't do them. They become a bunch of promises rotting in one corner throughout the year (poor promises…) for me. So…please understand me. But I bet you're thinking, _"Then why did you update early (for you), you butthead?"_ Well, I like how the story is going so far. The point where I left the last chapter hanging was very intense and I was **itching** to write about the scenes that will take place! So…can we proceed now to the story? Hehe! This way, please. This way. No pushing, please.

**Notice: **I'm into comedy lately and it's evident in this chapter, because there are so many humorous scenes here especially with Rei and Ran. Also, let's face it guys. They're teenagers—with raging hormones. In other words, keep children away from the computer (or you can always glance over your shoulder to see who's approaching and bitch at them if they come near you). Oh, if you notice the numbers "018", see what letter it is in the alphabet.I'll give you a blueberry cheesecake if you're correct!

**A Chuck Norris Fact: **Boogeyman checks his closet every night for Chuck Norris.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Chou_ GALS! Kotobuki Ran! But I'm swollen with pride to say that I saw my DADDY kissing Santa Claus! Honestly! Nyahahaha!

(**Warning:** Profanity, sexual implications, suicidal attempts, light lemon, OOC-ness and others may be present in this story.)

_**This fanfic is written for entertainment purpose only and watching GALS! again isn't necessary.**__**The story plot is mine and don't steal it, butthead!!**_

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**Previously…**

* * *

"_Oh. We're here." Rei proclaimed, the vehicle coming to a halt in front of a tall building._

_Ran looked at the building where Rei's apartment was. She gulped and coughed nervously. This was it. She was really going inside his apartment. Her trail of thoughts earlier came back to her again. _Expect the unexpected, they say.

_As the bleached-blonde girl looked at Rei again, she realized that _that_ was hard to believe in._

* * *

**Give Me A Chance,** **Chapter 9: Of Libraries, Smoothies, and Trains**

* * *

"Hey, is the building really that cool and handsome for you to stare at?" a certain brunet sneered at the bleached-blonde, obviously irritated.

Ran placed her eyes at Rei, her eyes narrowing for a split second. "Heck, it's worth looking at than you. Besides, I'm not staring _at _the building—I'm looking _in_ the building. There's a handsome guy at the upper floor worth staring at." She scoffed, crossing her arms. _Why is he so irritated? _After a minute of silence, she was pulled by a silently fuming Rei inside an elevator. When they were inside, Ran struggled to let go of her arm from Rei's grip. "What's with you?" she asked, displeased with the brunet's sudden change of behavior. A while ago he was silent and in a good mood and now—now _what_?

Rei sighed and looked at his reflection at the mirror inside the elevator. "It's nothing."

_Was it because of what I said earlier?_ Ran pondered. Feeling that she had done something wrong, she rubbed her other forearm and coughed meaningfully. "Sorry."

"For what?" The brunet asked, his head snapping up to look at Ran.

Ran suppressed a giggle. He was adorable. "I'm sorry for saying _indirectly _that you're not worthy to look at." She whispered, hoping that Rei could understand what she was trying to say. _If possible, I'd like to look at you forever, to wake up beside you everyday—what am I saying?!_

Rei blinked then smirked. "I'm not upset because of that."

"What is then that you're upset at?" Ran asked, her eyes twitching a little when she saw the infamous 'Otohata smirk'.

Rei looked up to see what floor they were in and then stared straight at Ran's eyes. "I'm upset that you're still looking at other guys." He whispered truthfully.

It was Ran's turn to blink. She felt the heat creeping to her cheeks and tried to suppress the blush on her face, but she couldn't hold it. "A-Are you jealous?" she stuttered.

"No." The youth said quickly, cursing himself after. _You really are pathetic, Otohata. _"You have a really handsome guy beside you and you still look for another. That hurt my ego." He almost laughed out loud when he saw Ran's new reaction.

"You—handsome?" Ran mocked, laughing loudly then patting Rei's shoulders, assuring him of something. "It's okay to dream, Otohata. It's free."

"But it's true. I was jealous." Rei murmured quickly and so softly that Ran almost didn't catch what he just said.

"Wha—" Ran's incoming words were cut off when the elevator door suddenly opened. "Hey wait!" She immediately stepped out of the elevator and ran towards the brunet who was already in front of the door that had the numbers "018" engraved. She began feeling nervous when she heard the noise of the keys while Rei was fishing them out from his pocket. She watched with dread as he inserted one golden key in the keyhole. A soft click was heard throughout the quiet hallway after Rei turned the doorknob.

_This is it. This is the moment of truth. This is where—_

"You'll have to excuse the place. I didn't clean up before I went out." Rei said as he flipped the light switch and stepped inside. "But it's okay. In that way, when you make a mess as you always do in other houses, I can clean up altogether. So…hey, are you listening to me?"

Ran ignored the insult because she was too busy looking around in awe. The other apartments (of various friends) she visited before were always cluttered and run-down. But Rei's wasn't. Rei's living room was cozy, but not cramped, with a black leather couch, flanked on either side by small black end tables. A modest entertainment center contained a television, computer, and stereo. Ran couldn't help but feel impressed. _It's so nice, and so… welcoming. _"It's great." she said, after a moment.

Rei's face reddened at the compliment and he thanked the gods that Ran didn't notice him at all. "It's not that much." He mumbled and proceeded towards the kitchen where he flipped another light switch. He went straight towards the refrigerator to open it and observe its contents.

The chougal followed him and was amazed when she saw the very neat kitchen. The countertop was empty and the sink was dishes-free. She assumed that some of the food items were inside the little cabinets. She was beginning to love his apartment. "You're a neat freak, aren't you?"

The brunet couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "I guess I am. My head aches when I see something messy." He replied, leaning on the counter.

Ran smiled as she realized the similarity between her and Rei. _My head also aches when I see something not in order._

"So, what will it be?" Rei suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Ran asked, startled. "I get to choose what you'll cook?"

"You're my guest." Rei replied. "Your wish is my command. At least for today, so don't let it go in your head." he smirked.

Ran stuck out her tongue at him. "Quiet." She rested her head on her palm and considered for a moment. "Wait, let me think…"

"Don't hurt yourself." he teased.

"Oh, shut up!" Ran exclaimed automatically and resumed in thinking about the food after. "Well…do you at least have any meat and eggs?" she asked.

Rei nodded, bringing out the eggs and meat from the fridge and placing it on the countertop. "What else?" he asked.

"Um…bread crumbs and flour."

The brunet opened one cabinet and brought out a pack of bread crumbs and flour. "Is that all…?" he trailed off.

"Those are the primary ingredients I want. You decide on the garnishes and such." Her eyes followed Rei's quick movements as he washed his hands. She walked towards the countertop and poked the pack of bread crumbs with her finger. "So…what are you going to cook?"

"The easiest," After wiping his hands clean, Rei walked towards the place where Ran was standing at and began breaking the eggs with a fork, pouring them in a wide dish. "…and probably you're favorite—pork _tonkatsu_." he said and smiled when he saw Ran jump out of joy.

"Ooh, thank God you knew what I was getting at!" the bleached-blonde girl exclaimed, leaning towards Rei. "Make many for this very lovely and hungry girl, okay?"

Rei rolled his eyes. "You're pathetic." He said, his heart making treacherous thumps because of the close distance between them. He could already feel the warmth of her body.

Just for the food, Ran ignored his insult again and instead grinned brightly. "What's pathetic about sharing and having lunch with an exceptional friend?" she cooed.

"Alright. That's too cheesy for me too handle." Rei proclaimed and placed his hand on top of Ran's head to ruffle her hair. She was very cute. _I could grow to like this._

Ran, though, stiffened at the contact.

Rei noticed and pulled his hand back quickly. _What the hell am I doing?_ "Sorry. I didn't mean to mess up your hair."

_It's not that. _Ran gave a small smile. "Lucky you apologized quickly. If not, then something bad will happen to you!" she said lamely, settling herself on a stool. "Is there something I can help you with?" she asked quickly to change the topic.

Rei shook his head. "Thanks, but you're my guest. It'll be rude to make you work around here." He whispered, busy coating the meat with the beaten eggs. "Besides, I can manage."

"If that's what you want." Ran said after a moment. She realized that almost all the guys want to be independent and want to take charge of everything. She also noticed that Rei was like her brother Yamato—the independence, the coldness (when Yamato's at work), and the shyness to express feelings like love or such for their loved ones. She sighed inwardly. Why do guys have to be shy of their feelings? _The independence._ Did it mean that, if _ever_ she had a boyfriend again like Rei or Yamato, the guy wouldn't depend on her in some way? If that was the case, then…

_You get the feeling that you're not needed._

She stared at him. Did Aya feel 'that' whenever she's with him? _Graaah! _Ran kicked herself, chanting in her mind to change the topic. "I don't have to take this!" she said to herself, not noticing that she was watching the brunet's every move in the kitchen. _The quickest way to __**my**__ heart is food—and I can't believe he's cooking something delicious for me!_ She sighed inwardly and rested her face on her open palms. _If only…he's really trying to please me. That would be very nice. But this is no more than a sign of friendship._

The brunet cringed when he touched the cold meat that was next to being covered with eggs, flour, and bread crumbs. He looked over to where Ran was sitting at. He saw the dazed look on her face as she stared at the countertop. _I wonder what she's thinking about…_

"Do you cook for Aya too?" Ran asked suddenly, her guilt coming back in an instant. Anything that had to do with Aya and Rei made her feel really guilty.

The youth looked at her skeptically. _She practically wants to hear something that will give importance to her._ "Why are you asking?" he asked. _Heck, it wouldn't hurt to give her one._

"Oh, nothing. Just curious." The bleached-blonde shrugged.

Rei looked away and focused his eyes on his task. "No."

Ran's eyes widened. "Huh?" she asked, feeling that she had not heard right.

"I don't cook for her. You're the first one—besides my family."

Out of surprise, she fell off the stool with an "_Oof!_" sound. Before Rei can even rush over to help her, she was already climbing back to her seat. Ran's face was so red that Rei couldn't even decide if he should tease or compliment her about it. Instead, he just watched her movements in amusement.

"HAHAHA! Rei, you Casanova, you almost got me there. You smooth talker, you!" She exclaimed and clasped her hands together tightly. She didn't notice that she had called the brunet his first name, but he heard it loud and clear. "So, Omnipotent one, I better check out the scenery outside while I can—and also not to bother you with your high-class cooking." She said as she kissed her fingertips like how a chef would and then ran out of the kitchen quickly after.

When Ran was gone, the fine-looking brunet's features softened. _That felt good to say. _He started heating the pan, feeling lucky that no one was able to see him smiling so widely.

* * *

A pebble was cruelly kicked on the asphalt ground by a rubber-shoe. "I hate myself." Yuuya whispered as he trudged along the path walk. "I found Ran then left her just because of my emotions. Stupid feelings!" he exclaimed to himself, wanting to bash someone's face. "I want to go back to her, but I know she wouldn't be there anymore. Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"Whoa. Get a grip of yourself, man." Tatsuki said nervously, running towards Yuuya. He was on his way home when he saw his blond friend pulling his yellow locks. "What's wrong?"

Yuuya let go of his hair and sighed. "I'm stupid, Tatsuki, really stupid. I guess that's the reason why Ran picked you instead of me." he whispered, sulking.

Tatsuki waved his hands wildly at him. "That's not the reason!" He answered.

"Then what?"

"I'm just more attractive than you."

Yuuya stared at him. "…"

Tatsuki scratched his head and cleared his throat. "Uh…that was in the past, Yuuya. You're not stupid." he said, patting his hand on the blond's right shoulder. When he heard him let out a really deep sigh, he knew something was really wrong. "Is it her?"

Yuuya's head snapped up. "Huh?"

"It's Ran, isn't it?"

Yuuya let his head drop again. "Yeah."

The monkey-look-alike kept quiet. Did Rei found Ran first? No, that didn't seem to be the case. "Why?"

Feeling helpless, the blond starting walking ahead with Tatsuki following suit. "I found Ran."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I told her that everyone was worried about her. She called Miyu up to apologize." Yuuya told his friend. He didn't want to let Tatsuki know what he told her after. _Yet_.

Tatsuki was getting impatient. "That's not the reason you're acting like that. Tell me the truth." he demanded. _Seeing that Rei wasn't involved, what could've happened?_

"That's the—" Yuuya's words were cut off when the two heard someone shouting their names.

"Tatsukichi!! Yuuya!!" It was Miyu who was shouting and she was running towards them. When she came to a stop in front of the two boys, she panted heavily. "Whew. I haven't ran like that for so long." she whispered and then smiled at them. "Hi!"

"Hi Miyu!" Tatsuki greeted.

Yuuya was confused. "What are you doing here, Miyu?" he asked. "I thought you were going shopping."

Miyu rolled her eyes. "Ugh. It wouldn't be fun shopping by yourself. I've tried that and it's really deadly—deadly boring."

"What about Yamato-san?" The monkey asked.

The blonde giggled at the mentioned name of her lover. "Oh, you know policemen. They don't have time for fashion and stuff." she said and smiled again. "I just came from the police station then I saw the two of you." She then turned to look at Yuuya sternly. "You."

"W-what?" Yuuya stuttered.

"Where is Ran? I thought she was with you." Miyu wondered. _I know she's supposed to be with him, but what happened?_

Yuuya scratched his head as he looked at Miyu then Tatsuki, then Miyu again. "Ah…I kind of left her where I found her." He strangled out._ Damn…_

"What?!" the two exclaimed unbelievingly.

Yuuya just laughed nervously. _I knew I shouldn't have left her. Damn, damn._

* * *

Soft footsteps came to a stop when a voice called out a Japanese name. "Miss Hoshino? Have you had your dinner already?" a masculine voice asked a certain dark-haired girl who was walking through the quiet, narrow, and intricate hallway.

Hoshino Aya turned around to give a bright smile at her publisher. "No, sir. How about you?" she asked, gripping her books tight with her arms.

Her publisher, although half-Japanese (and half-European), was very fluent in speaking the Japanese language. Aya assumed that he was middle-aged. "I already had and I'm deeply sorry for not asking you to eat with me." He then bowed to her as a sign of apologizing.

Aya waved her hand nervously. She wasn't accustomed people bowing to her—and a foreigner, nonetheless! "Um…it's really okay. Y-you don't have to bow, sir." She stuttered.

A laugh came out of the man's lips as he stood straight. "If that's what you say then, miss." He said and he looked at the books being cradled by her arms. "That's a lot. You really love reading books, huh?" he asked.

"Yes!" Aya quickly answered. If the topic was about books, she would gladly join in the conversation. "I borrowed these from the library and I was very surprised that there are still so many books I haven't read." She said in amazement, her mind playing back the images of the library sections she visited earlier.

"Well, you just have to visit the library often so you can finish ready all the good books, if you can." The man said as he laughed again. The Japanese girl was really something. _She's very compatible with my son._ "I'd really like to treat you to dinner, but I still have something to do. I'm really sorry."

Aya shook her head with a smile. "Oh, no, it's not necessary." She said politely.

"Just feel free to order anything in the hotel's restaurant under my name, okay? I'll see you tomorrow." He said and waved at her before he started walking away.

Aya let out a sigh of relief. _Good thing he didn't see the titles of the books._ Tightening her grip of the books, she continued walking towards the exit. "Books about love against time, long-distance relationships, and such…I can't believe I'm going to read all of these." She whispered to herself, thinking about her relationship with Rei. Instantly, Rei's stunning face, although with a frown, flashed in her mind.

_Oh God…how I miss him._

"Ah, Miss Hoshino."

Aya almost jumped out of surprise. She swiftly turned around to see that her publisher was already at the entrance of the library. "Y-Yes, sir. What is it?" she asked.

The man scratched his head and let out a chuckle before speaking. "Are you free tomorrow afternoon?" he asked.

A blink. _What?_ She couldn't believe what she heard—she only heard that line when a guy was asking her out for a date. _Oh, dear Lord._ _Please don't let it be what I think it is._ "Um…yes, I think." She whispered.

"That's great!" the man exclaimed, feeling somewhat very pleased. He caught himself acting like a child and quickly he coughed meaningfully and stood up straight. "Tomorrow will be a perfect day for a date!"

Aya let out a nervous laugh. "F-for a what?" she asked. _Oh God. He's about in his late thirties and he's…it's just wrong!_

"A date—with my son. I'd like you to meet him."

The black-haired girl let out a sigh of relief again. At least it was his son who she was going on a date with. "Oh. Okay. I'm sure he's as nice as you are, sir." She said, giving him an assuring smile.

"Nicer." The publisher bowed his head again. "Thank you again, Miss Hoshino. He'll be waiting at the hotel café on one o' clock." He said and waved his hand at her. He then went inside the library and disappeared from Aya's vision.

"It wouldn't hurt." She said to herself.She figured that if she went to the date, she wouldn't think about home for even just a few hours. _Besides, even if I went to numerous dates, Rei will still be my love and…_ She suddenly felt her knees weakening, resting her hands on the wall for support.

…_he wouldn't care at all._

That realization brought a wave of sadness over her. After a moment, she stood up straight and walked slowly towards the hotel that was just a few blocks away. _I shouldn't be sad. Didn't he kiss me back when I was about to leave? He normally doesn't kiss back._

"You're right." She realized, speaking with herself. "I almost forgot about that." She earned a few weird looks from the passersby who heard her talking to herself. She didn't mind them. She was too busy thinking about her boyfriend.

_Soon, I know he'll smile at me—a big, wide smile that no one has ever been able to see and make him do. I know that someday he wouldn't be cold to me anymore. Just a little more time…_

Pleased with her thoughts, she happily walked towards the path to the hotel, oblivious to the fact that someone had already made the brunet smile so immensely.

* * *

"I am the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen…" Ran sang loudly at the terrace of Rei's apartment. She heard the song playing loudly in a radio from the apartment below Rei's and she couldn't help but sing along. When the song got into its chorus, the chougal started dancing with the beat. She felt that the song suited her perfectly—the _**Dancing Queen of Shibuya**_.

Back in the kitchen, Rei flipped the last meat and waited for the other side to brown. As he waited, his attention shifted to the voice coming from the terrace. He knew it was Ran. Singing. _I've got to see this. _Feeling excited (he didn't know why), he quickly put the food on a plate, turned off the stove and cleaned the frying pan. Grabbing the plate of food, he proceeded towards the living room where the terrace was. Before Rei can even step completely out of the kitchen, he saw the most amusing scene ever in his life.

Before him was Ran dancing and singing around, making wild gestures as if to imitate some diva. She was holding her comb as her microphone and she had her eyes closed. She was unaware of the scrutiny from Rei who was already laughing to himself.

Unable to stop himself, Rei cleared his throat loudly for Ran to hear, a smile still on his face.

Ran instantly froze when she heard the sound, her mouth still open. She watched Rei in horror as he deposited the plate of food he was holding to the table in the living room. _That was…humiliating. _She slowly made her way inside the living room and tried to sit at the end of the couch, but she slipped.

_How embarrassing!!_

She quickly stood up and sat on the middle of the couch, appearing to be busy studying the comb in her hands. After three seconds, she glanced up and saw that Rei was smiling and was deliberately avoiding looking at her. Because of that, she blushed madly and just held the comb tightly.

Rei walked towards the kitchen to grab some more plates and bowls. If he didn't have enough willpower, he would've laughed loudly by then. _She's really one of a kind._ When he got back to the living room, he saw that Ran was studying the small fishbowl on a small table. It seemed that the fishbowl distracted her from feeling utterly humiliated.

"What's with you and my fish?" Rei asked while he sat down on the couch.

Ran turned around. "I was just watching—is it so wrong?" she replied and sat down beside the brunet. Determined not to talk about what happened earlier, she cleared her throat and shouted, "_Itadakimasu_!"

"Geez…you don't have to shout." Rei muttered in irritation. Before he could even pick up his chopsticks from the table, Ran had already eaten half of the bowl of rice. He shook his head and proceeded eating, occasionally stealing glances from the chougal. "I'm just wondering… Where do you put it all?" he suddenly asked.

She looked at him, her eyes questioning. "Huh? What's _it_?"

"You eat so much but you still look pretty good to me."

Ran blinked. _Eh?_

Rei flushed and almost choked on his food when he realized that Ran had misinterpreted his words. He cleared his throat and continued eating, looking away. "I mean…you're so slim to eat so much. That's all." he whispered. _That's not all. She always looked good to me—even if she's always binging. _He rubbed his eyes and stood up, taking the dishes with him. "I'll clean these up." _I better get out of here._

"I'll help." Ran offered, standing up too.

"No." Rei said sharply. When he saw the bleached-blonde's hurt expression, he sighed and shook his head. "I mean, you're still my guest. Just relax. I've got it under control." _Do I really? _He then went inside the kitchen and started washing the dishes. Suddenly, he remembered the stories his male classmates shared with him every break time—that they get to "score" when they were alone with their girlfriends in their apartments. _So what? Ran's not my girlfriend—and she trusted me with this.__ I'm not going to do anything to her. _He mentally reassured himself as he cleaned, restoring order to both the dishes and his thoughts. He took longer than usual to dry the dishes and replace them in the cabinets. _Now, I'm going back out there and act normal until she decides she has to go home._ He walked into the living room.

Ran was smiling in front of the fishbowl again when the brunet showed up. She was too busy following the lonely fish's movements that she didn't notice Rei's stare at her.

Just like the fish, Rei also followed Ran's every move—the way she swept her hair away from her face and the way her eyes seemed to give so much intensity as they stare. _So much like the eyes that looked at me _that _night._ Suddenly remembering their kiss, Rei cleared his throat so loudly that it made Ran turn around to look at him in wonder.

"Do you have a cough? It's really getting irritating." Ran teased, a smile on her face.

Rei shook his head and put his hand on his hips. "…since you came, I've been clearing my throat nonstop." The brunet just answered. "That means you're irritating me."

Ran laughed. "Congratulations! You made me laugh despite of your corny joke." she said as she waved him off, walking past by him. "I have to go now—Yamato will worry even if he doesn't look like it. He's a worry-wart, you know."

"Of course he'll worry." Rei whispered, not wanting to continue his sentence. "I'll drive you home." he offered.

The chougal shook her head. "It's okay. I troubled you enough as it is. I can take the train." she said. "And don't bother on insisting that you drive me home. I already made up my mind."

"Then I'll walk with you until we get to the station."

"You're really stubborn, huh?" she asked.

_When it comes to you._ Rei shrugged.

Ran raised one eyebrow at him. "Uh….whatever." She stood in front of him and smiled sincerely. "Anyways, thank you for the food. It was not really _that_ scrumptious as I thought it would be, but it was good."

The brunet knew she wasn't saying the truth by the way she smiled at him. "Thank you for the compliments. I needed one to boost my self-esteem in cooking." He said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Ignoring Ran's usual reaction, he looked outside the window that was kind of blurred. _It looks like it's cold out there._ He turned his attention to the chougal who was still blabbering some insults. _If I lend or give her anything that'll keep her warm, what would she think?_ He was a little surprised when he saw that Ran was also staring at the window.

"You should keep yourself warm. Get some jacket and scarf for yourself." Ran whispered.

It was amazing that they shared the same thoughts. "What about you?" he asked.

Ran shook her head. "Nah, I'm okay. The Queen of Shibuya doesn't get cold! She _**is**_the cold!" she proclaimed, pumping a fist on the air.

Feeling obedient and wanting to spare himself from the sight, Rei went to his bedroom to get the said scarf and jacket. _The Queen doesn't get cold—my ass. I don't want her to get sick. _He looked inside his cabinets to find an extra jacket and scarf, but he suddenly remembered that the extras were in the laundry. _No shit…_

* * *

The three were seated on the flight of stairs of an overpass in Shibuya where Rei usually stayed at and no one even noticed for they were too busy drinking their free smoothies—courtesy of Yuuya who was crying over his empty wallet.

"Hey, Yuuya. If you think you can avoid talking about the topic by buying us smoothies, you've completely miscalculated." Miyu said as she drank her berry smoothie, raising a finely-shaved eyebrow.

"That's right." Tatsuki agreed, nodding as he enjoyed his banana smoothie.

Yuuya held his wallet tightly. "Right…" he repeated. "I don't know what's right anymore."

Miyu stopped slurping the smoothie when she heard Yuuya speaking. "Are you alright?" she asked. "Oh, I noticed I said something with a 'right' word…"

The blond didn't heed her error. "I'm really sorry if I left her where I found her." Yuuya began. "I just…I can't stick around her for too long—I don't mean it negatively, I just… I'm a coward." He sighed, his wallet getting smaller and smaller because of his tight grip.

Tatsuki looked at him then continued to slurp his smoothie. Even Miyu didn't say anything. It was as if they were going to say something wrong if they speak up at that very moment.

"You guys know I like her very much…from the beginning, you all already knew. I'm just frustrated at myself that I didn't tell her so earlier—much earlier than when Tatsuki proclaimed his love for her." The blond whispered.

"Me?" Tatsuki instantly interjected at the mere sound of his name, drops of his smoothie making a splat on the side of Yuuya's face.

"Quiet, you." Miyu scolded the monkey-look-alike as she watched Yuuya wipe away the liquid from his cheek. She coughed meaningfully before she started to talk. "What do you mean, Yuuya? You still have a chance on her."

Yuuya looked up at her. "Chance?"

The blonde nodded. "She still doesn't have a boyfriend." She assured him. _But then, I know she's in love with a guy who's not only taken, but also Yuuya's best friend. _She continued sipping her berry smoothie. _It's only common sense that she still doesn't have one._

Yuuya stooped his head low again, as if the energy given to him was suddenly taken away. "It's still impossible." _Because she's still not over him._

Tatsuki, who refused to be left out of the conversation, patted Yuuya's back quickly. He didn't like the melancholic atmosphere around the three of them so he decided he just had to lighten up the mood. _It'll be a miracle if Ran gives Yuuya or chance. Or not. _Lifting his fist in the air, he circled his arm around the blond and started making wild gestures that earned looks from passers-by. "Maybe all you need is _seduction_—you obviously are not seductive!"

"What?" The two blond/es exclaimed. _The hell?_

"Oh no, no, no. Girls don't like guys who are cowards—that's a big no-no!" Tatsuki said and stood up. "Build up your self-confidence and transform it to an aura of manliness and…" Tatsuki put his hand under his face. "…it will make you look oh-so-handsome to the eyes of the girl you love—like me!" he exclaimed.

Miyu started laughing hard that she had tears in her eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about, you monkey?" Yuuya asked and shook his head. _He's nuts, but he's right. I've got to have more self-confidence._ "I have to admit that you're right about what you said, except the part where you said you were handsome." he remarked with a smirk.

"Pause. Corny. Delete." Tatsuki muttered and rolled his eyes. "So, are you okay now?"

"Kind of."

Miyu smiled at the two boys. "So…should we go to where Ran is?" she asked.

"No!" Tatsuki said so quickly that made the two look at him in confusion.

Yuuya blinked. "What do you mean 'no'? You were also looking for her, right?"

The monkey scratched the back of his head slowly. "Uh…I have to make a confession." he whispered. He didn't really want to tell them _that_, but since he couldn't keep his mouth shut, he just had to.

"Well?" Miyu asked as she raised an eyebrow at him.

Tatsuki sat down again and sighed. "After Yuuya called me up a while ago at the dance studio, I was instantly worried about Ran. So…" he trailed off.

"So?"

"So I called Rei up to go look for her." Tatsuki whispered and shook his head.

"What?!"

Yuuya stared at him in shock. _What if Rei found her?_ He knew that Rei was not like some of the perverted guys and he knew Ran would be safe with him. But…

"If Rei finds Ran, then what do you think they'll do?" Miyu asked in a whisper, continuing Yuuya's trail of thoughts. "It's not that I don't trust Rei, but…" _they're in love with each other—what if something surprising happens?_

"I'm really sorry, guys! I just—" Tatsuki stopped speaking for Yuuya suddenly stood up and ran away.

Miyu watched her friend run. "It's hard for him, huh? He really loves Ran."

Tatsuki nodded. "I can't help but feel sorry for him, Miyu."

The blonde turned around to look at him. "Why?"

"Ran would never get over _**him**_." Tatsuki whispered. They both knew who he was talking about. If only it wasn't Rei whom she loved, if only he wasn't Yuuya's best friend, and if only Rei was not Aya's boyfriend. _Then life would be much easier for the four of them. _He knew that if ever Rei and Ran acknowledge the feelings they felt for each other, many would be hurt.

Miyu stared at the tiny droplets from the berry smoothies she was drinking. "Why him, of all people…?" she murmured, wanting and dreading for Aya to return at the same time.

* * *

"Oi, Otohata Rei! What's taking you so long?" Ran shouted from the other room.

Rei gritted his teeth as he wore the jacket and scarf. _There's no choice. _He went back to the living room and saw that Ran was already at the doorway waiting for him. He put his shoes back on and locked the door of his apartment after they went out.

The chougal glanced at him briefly before they entered the elevator. "Why are you so quiet?" she asked suddenly.

"No reason." The brunet just whispered.

"Oh." Ran thanked that the elevator ride was quick for she knew that 'awkward time' would come soon. As she looked around the building one more time, she spotted a couple walking hand-in-hand. Her eyes traveled down to where Rei's free hand was. A sudden urge to hold his hand came to her. _What if I hold his hand…would he get angry?_ Hesitating, she looked up and saw that Rei was looking at her. Her eyes widened.

"What? Why are you so surprised?" Rei asked, feeling a little confused.

"Surprised? Ha! You're dreaming, Otohata." Ran exclaimed, walking ahead of the brunet youth. She didn't stop walking to reply to the guard who said 'goodbye' to her. When she stepped outside of the building, a cold breeze enveloped her that caused her to shiver. "Whoa…it's cold!" she whispered to herself. _Gah…I want nothing more than to go home, curl up into a ball and sleep!_

Rei stood beside her and noticed that she was shivering. _I don't want her…to get sick. _Feeling a bit of a masochist, he took off his jacket and placed it around Ran gingerly. He ignored the eyes that questioned him as he wrapped the scarf next around the chougal's neck.

"Rei… What are you doing?" Ran asked after a minute of silence. She was so speechless a while ago that she couldn't even make a sound.

"What do you think?" Rei asked in a shaky voice, now feeling the coldness. _Damn…I'll freeze out here if I stay out for too long. _When he noticed that the bleached-blonde was still staring at him, he put his hands in his pockets and looked back at her. "What?"

"But you'll get cold and—"

"It doesn't matter if I get cold. Just leave me alone." The brunet interrupted.

Ran felt a bit hurt at Rei's words. "I'm sorry." she whispered and looked down on her shoes.

Rei saw her hurt expression and sighed, mentally kicking himself. "I'm all right. You don't have to worry." He whispered, noticing that Ran was still not looking up at him. He shifted his weight in his left foot as he continued speaking. "You're more important than myself." He murmured.

With that, Ran's head snapped up. "Eh?" was all she could say.

The brunet smiled slightly. "Whatever. Let's get going if you don't want me to be frozen on the spot." he said. Just as he was going to make the first step, a hand held him back. He turned around and almost laughed when he saw Ran blushing—all the while trying to hide it from him.

Ran let go of his sleeve. "Let me make you warm even just a little." she mumbled, holding his hand. She smiled as she looked up at him. "Is it okay?"

_Of course it is. _Rei felt a blush creeping to his cheeks. "Do what you want." He whispered, holding the chougal's hand tightly as they walked towards the train station. _What is this feeling? It feels so…_ He glanced secretly at their clasped hands.

"So natural." Ran suddenly said that made the brunet blink in surprise. "This feels so natural, don't you think?" she asked. "Maybe because it's so cold and we tend to keep ourselves warm."

Rei almost thought that the chougal could read other's thoughts—they just shared the same view. "Nn." he just muttered.

"I still don't know what '_Nn_' means! It's really annoying to hear and it sounds stupid!" Ran exclaimed jokingly, laughing to herself.

"It's an indication that the one you're talking to is utterly bored." The handsome youth replied promptly.

The bleached-blonde raised an eyebrow at him. "Bored?" she repeated. "Are you saying that you get bored when you're with me?"

_This nut-head doesn't seem to realize that I'm just playing around._ With that in mind, Rei smirked as he closed his eyes, preparing himself for a full 20 minutes of ranting. "Something like that."

"Otohata, you—"

Rei opened his eyes and saw that Ran was looking intently at the train station.

"We better get going! I'm going to miss the last ride!!" Ran exclaimed, pulling Rei's hand as she dashed towards the station. When they were at the counter to get a ticket, she let go of the youth's hand quickly to fish out her wallet from her bag.

Rei looked at his hand then at the chougal in front of him. _I feel so cold. _He shook his head (for acting all cheesy) and sat on a bench near the counter. As he observed the growing crowd in the station, he noticed that Ran really stood out among them. It was not only because of her bright hair with a streak of red, but maybe because he knew she was totally different from the rest of the people, being so lively even though she doesn't know anyone in the area and many other unique traits. He felt a sense of pride that he could be so close to her (even held her hand), when many of the boys who know her would do anything—even commit crimes—just to let the famous "_Queen of Shibuya_" focus her attention at them. They treated her as a trophy worthy to be won.

He wondered if he was like them. He had always admired Ran.

_Am I no different from the rest of them?_

He knew that Ran was aware of the fact that most of the boys who asked her out just wanted her to be their '_trophy girlfriend'_ and make themselves be at the top of the heap in terms of social standing. It was also the reason why she agreed to go out with Tatsuki—he never wanted to become popular and she knew that he loved her at the bottom of his heart.

_I do, too. So why am I doubting my feelings?_

After successfully getting a ticket (even if there was so much shoving in the line), Ran turned around and was surprised when she couldn't find her companion due to the large crowd wanting to catch up in the last ride. _Where did he go? _She pushed herself out of the crowd and looked around the station to find him. After a moment, her eyes caught a head of dark hair sitting on a lone bench, obviously spaced out. She waved at him, but he didn't notice. _What is he thinking so deeply about?_ She walked towards him and cleared her throat.

"Oi, I already got a ticket. Why are you spaced out?" she said in a loud voice, breaking Rei's trail of thoughts. His head snapped up to look at her and she felt suddenly uneasy under his scrutiny. "H-hey, you okay?"

Rei looked away and stood up. "I'll see you off." he whispered and then walked ahead of her.

Ran stared at him. What was wrong with him? She ran towards the brunet until she finally caught up with him. "Why do you look like something's really bothering you?" she asked.

"It's nothing." Rei answered. He stopped walking on the platform as soon as he heard the train's noise.

The bleached-blonde bit her lip. "Do you miss her?" she asked quietly, staring at the railroad tracks in front of them. She bit her lip harder when Rei didn't answer her. _It's true then._ "You can e-mail her if you truly miss her. I'm sure she'll be happy to know how you feel." She whispered and felt her heart beat faster when she noticed that he shifted his attention at her. She thanked God when she saw that the train was already approaching them.

Rei watched as the train stopped in front of them and opened its doors for the passengers to enter. Ran went inside but still stood at the entrance.

"Well…I'll see you soon." Ran managed to say.

The brunet sighed and shook his head. "It's not about Aya." he confessed, looking down at his shoes.

"Then what?" she asked, aware that the train doors would shut close in just a few seconds.

Rei looked straight at Ran's eyes as the train gave off rings to warn the passengers about the departure. He clenched and unclenched his fists. It was now or never. Despite the loud chattering of the people and the noise of the train's engine, Rei's words were heard.

"I love you."

Ran's eyes widened at the same time when the train's doors shut close. She stared at him wide-eyed through the glass window and didn't dare to blink even if the train started moving, fearing that all that happened would prove to be an illusion. She suddenly remembered her mantra earlier.

_Expect the unexpected._

She let out a breath that she'd been holding when she couldn't see him anymore. She slumped down to the floor as she touched Rei's scarf around her neck, ignoring the looks the other passengers gave to her. She was oblivious to the fact that the people were staring at her not because she was sitting on the ground, but because she was so flushed and so red.

Left alone, Rei stood still on the platform, his hair fluttering in the tunnel's breeze. He turned around to leave the station, his fist still clenched as he heaved a sigh.

He wasn't sure whether it had been a sigh born of regret, or of relief.

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

**Author's notes: **Yow! This chapter is shorter than the previous chapter, but overall I think it satisfied the 'hunger' of ReiXRan fans (hopefully!)! Honestly, I intended to update this chapter earlier, but due to laziness and the usual writer's block, it was put off temporarily in my 'waiting list'. Again and again, I'm so sorry! Hahaha…ha.

It's our summer vacation right now and it's hard to do anything at all—for my idea of vacation is to do NOTHING at all! Gah, I was so much stressed during those grueling days in the classroom and I think I deserve to relax. Everybody needs a break once in a while, right? Right! But I must admit that it would be a bit hard for me to update this story during summer vacation, because first of all, by brothers are always on the computer and I only have limited time to use it due to the high electric bills. Second, I spend the rest of my allowance just to access the internet so even if I already finished one chapter, it takes a lot of time to post it in the net, due to the fact that I have to limit my visits to the internet shops.

Lastly, I'm just plain lazy. Hahaha! It's a joke. I want to be lazy, but…gah, it's hard (Whooo…feeling 'heroic' of some kind)!

Anyway, it took 9 chapters for Rei to accept and tell his feelings for Ran—so now what would Ran do about it? It's a strict rule not to steal the man of your best friend! Is she willing to sacrifice her friendship just for love or take the risk of losing the most important person just because she doesn't want to hurt others?

Go figure! XD

Well, I hope you all stay excited about the next chapter! I am excited as well and I hope the next chapter will be so interesting that it'll take your socks off! Uhm, that wasn't right. But anyway, I hope it would satisfy your RXR cravings!!

P.S. As a present, I'm going to answer your reviews once again! You deserve the best, avid and loyal readers! I wouldn't be writing this without your endless support and reviews!

_Arigatou gozaimasu!_

Koharu-chan

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**Answers to the Reviews:**

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**Hikari Manganji****: ** Hahaha…yeah. I kinda like Tatsukichi in this story too, so I'm giving so much scenes! Hahaha…anyway, yeah, ReiXRan forever!! Thanks for the review!

**15transcends: ** Nyahahaha…how 'bout now that I updated a lot 'earlier' than expected?? Hahaha! So…how was the chapter? Did it meet your expectations? (please, oh please, yes!) Haha…thanks for leaving me such a wonderful review!! Tata with a smoochie!

**Alegria: ** Really? Your first time? Wahaha… I'm really touched! D Thanks for the review!

**bribe91****: ** Thanks for liking the story! But…I already warned the readers that this is a ReiXRan fic and only contains very little ReiXAya moments… I'm really sorry, but I'm really glad you liked the sotry nonetheless! Thanks for leaving a review!

**heavenlydreams****: ** So…how was the chapter? Was it good? Nyahahaha… I'm getting nervous and very pressured!! Haha… I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, because you deserve a lot of enjoyment! Haha…did I make any sense? Anyway, thanks for the review!

**aGirlWithNoName****: ** Yes, I updated already. I'll try to update faster than usual, I promise!! Thanks for the review!

**Animegirlsana4eva: **Hi animatrix—uhm, animegirlsana—uhm, you!! Haha! Well…I'm glad that you saw this fic being updated. I'm really sorry if this looks like it's rotting in one corner…hehe. Thanks for leaving a review!

**sasukegirl4****: ** I made YOU cry?? Whoa…no kidding? That's the greatest compliment I ever received!! Nyahahaha…thank you for such a wonderful review!

**nisch****: ** Yeah! They should've been together! It was so evident in the early episodes…it was really disappointing…but hey, we have fanfics anyway. Haha… Thanks for the review!

**Eliannora****: **Augh…I guess this chapter has a lot of mistakes. I was really rushing this one, because if I take longer to update, I may not be able to update any longer! (okay…?) Haha! Whatever! Thanks for the review!

**sam**: Thanks for the compliment!! Please enjoy reading my future chapters! Thanks for the review!

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Please, please, please! Press that li'l button over there. Yes, that's right. No, it's not the 'back' button! Hehehe…yes, that one. Whooo! Thanks! I promise I won't let you down in the next chapter. Thank you again!

Mwah!


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